The UCLA baseball team, ranked No. 1, completed its seventh straight Big Ten series sweep on Apr. 19 with a 5-2 victory over Minnesota at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
This win keeps the Bruins undefeated in conference play, highlighting their strong performance this season and maintaining momentum as they continue through the Big Ten schedule.
Roman Martin led the offense for UCLA by reaching base four times and hitting his sixth home run of the year—a 420-foot shot in the third inning. Will Gasparino contributed a two-run home run in the sixth, marking his fifteenth homer of the season and extending UCLA’s lead. Dean West also played a key role at the top of the lineup with two hits and one run scored.
Landon Stump started on the mound for UCLA, pitching more than four innings while allowing only one run on two hits before turning it over to relievers. Jack O’Connor earned his first win of the season as Ian May, Cal Randall, and Easton Hawk combined to pitch more than three hitless innings to finish out the game. Hawk secured his third save in as many days by closing out a perfect ninth inning using just six pitches.
The Bruins established an early lead with two runs in their first turn at bat following hits from West and Roch Cholowsky. Martin’s solo home run increased their advantage before Minnesota responded with runs in both the fourth and sixth innings—one coming off a solo shot from Weber Neels.
Gasparino’s late-inning homer restored UCLA’s three-run cushion, which proved decisive as bullpen pitchers kept Minnesota scoreless for the remainder of play. The Bruins are scheduled to host Hawaii next Tuesday evening; that game will be broadcast nationally.
