The UCLA baseball team defeated Oregon 9-6 after a comeback capped by Dean West’s eighth-inning grand slam, according to a May 10 announcement. The Bruins, ranked No. 1, trailed by five runs after four innings but rallied with eight unanswered runs to secure the win and clinch the series against No. 13 Oregon.
This victory highlights UCLA’s resilience and ability to respond under pressure as they continue their strong season in the Big Ten Conference. West played a pivotal role both offensively and defensively, recording four hits—including the decisive grand slam—and robbing Oregon of a potential grand slam earlier in the game.
The Ducks took an early lead with a five-run fourth inning after tying the game in the third. However, UCLA responded with two runs in the sixth inning, another run in the seventh, and then erupted for five more in the eighth inning to take control of the contest.
Roch Cholowsky contributed significantly for UCLA with his conference-leading 21st home run of the season as part of a two-hit performance. Payton Brennan also added three hits and scored twice. Other key contributors included Roman Martin and Will Gasparino—each driving in one run—and Cashel Dugger who had an RBI single. Aidan Espinoza came off the bench for a crucial base hit during UCLA’s rally.
The Bruins’ bullpen was effective throughout the final five innings as Angel Cervantes, Cal Randall, Zach Strickland (who earned his sixth win), and Easton Hawk (who notched his thirteenth save) combined to keep Oregon scoreless down the stretch.
Looking ahead, UCLA will travel to Washington for their final Big Ten Conference series beginning Thursday, May 14 at 6 p.m., with national coverage on Big Ten Network.
