UCLA’s baseball team began its season with a comeback victory over UC San Diego at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday. The Bruins, ranked No. 1, overcame an early three-run deficit to win their opening game, improving their Opening Day record to 16-6 under head coach John Savage since 2005.
After trailing 3-0, UCLA scored eight consecutive runs during the third and fourth innings. All nine starting players reached base, and eight of them drew at least one walk.
Payton Brennan led the offense by driving in four runs and scoring once in a two-hit performance. Roman Martin contributed two RBIs, while Dean West reached base twice, scored twice, and had a hit as the leadoff batter.
Other contributors included Roch Cholowsky, Cashel Dugger, and Dominic Cadiz with one hit each. Freshmen Aiden Aguayo and Cadiz made their collegiate debuts alongside transfer outfielder Will Gasparino.
Logan Reddemann earned the win in his first appearance for UCLA. He allowed three earned runs over five innings with six strikeouts.
UC San Diego took an early lead with two runs in the second inning and another in the third before UCLA responded. In the bottom of the third inning, West walked to start things off; after Cholowsky reached on an error and Levu and Martin walked consecutively to bring in a run, Brennan tied the game with a single up the middle.
UCLA broke away in the fourth inning by scoring five runs on four hits. Brennan’s two-run double gave UCLA an 8-3 advantage.
Redshirt senior May pitched 2.2 innings in relief, allowing just one run while striking out four batters. Jake Swenson managed to escape trouble in the eighth inning before Easton Hawk closed out the game with a perfect ninth inning.
The series continues Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m., available for live viewing on B1G+.
