The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) baseball team, ranked No. 1 nationally, will host Michigan for its first Big Ten Conference home series starting Friday, March 13. The three-game set at Jackie Robinson Stadium begins with a 6 p.m. start on Friday, followed by games at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. All games will be broadcast on B1G+, with Nick Koop and Sid Iyer providing commentary.
This series marks UCLA’s debut Big Ten home matchup after the Bruins swept Ohio State in their opening conference weekend and improved to a 14-2 record—their best season start since 2010. The Bruins have demonstrated strong performances both offensively and defensively, including scoring 40 runs against Ohio State and achieving four run-rule victories this season.
Will Gasparino has emerged as a standout player for UCLA, ranking third nationally in home runs with 11 so far this season—a school record for the BBCOR era—and leading the team with a .418 batting average and 30 RBIs. Gasparino was named Most Outstanding Player of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series after helping UCLA defeat three ranked Southeastern Conference opponents: Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State.
Pitcher Wylan Moss has also contributed significantly, allowing just one earned run over 15 innings while striking out 24 batters with only one walk. Moss was recently named to the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List by the College Baseball Foundation.
Michigan enters the series relying on an experienced pitching staff that returns most of its innings from last year but faces questions about its infield due to new starters and recent roster changes. Despite these uncertainties, Michigan is expected to remain competitive within the conference.
Looking ahead, UCLA continues to benefit from roster stability amid widespread transfer activity across college baseball programs. With much of last year’s production returning—including key players like Roch Cholowsky and Mulivai Levu—the Bruins are positioned as strong contenders for continued success this season.
