The No. 1 UCLA baseball team defeated the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors 12-7 at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Tuesday to pick up their 36th win of the season.
The Bruins returned to Los Angeles after wrapping up their series sweep against Minnesota on Sunday and had an offensive outpour against the Rainbow Warriors. UCLA’s batters picked up 11 hits for 12 runs, but the Bruins were struck out 10 times. Meanwhile, UCLA’s nine different pitchers gave up 12 hits, five walks for seven runs, while recording nine strikeouts.
Fireworks in the first
The Bruins gave up two hits in the top of the first, but they scored off of a sacrifice fly. UCLA responded with their first of three hits coming from junior outfielder Dean West, as he blasted a homer to right field. The final of the three hits was a grand slam by junior outfielder Will Gasparino to put the Bruins up 5-1.
Scoring in the third
In the top of the third, Hawaii put up five hits and three runs with help from a two-run homer at the start of the inning. Junior infielder Roman Martin was the first up to bat for UCLA and he extended the Bruins lead with a homer to left center in the bottom of the third.
Keeping up the pressure
In the fourth, Roch Cholowsky hit a home run in response to Hawaii’s homer in the top of the inning. UCLA continued the scoring in the bottom of the fifth with a double leading to two more runs to put the Bruins up 9-5.
Even action in the sixth
Hawaii scored two runs in the top of the sixth to cut UCLA’s led to two, but the Bruins brought their lead back up to four with a single and a sacrificial fly leading to two runs.
Ending strong
UCLA’s pitching staff ended the game strong by giving up no hits in the final three innings. The Bruins added their final run with Gasparino’s second homer of the game.
The Bruins will remain in Los Angeles to begin their series against Sacramento State on Friday with an anticipated start time of 6 p.m. PT.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: No. 1 UCLA’s batters put on an offensive display against Hawaii
Reporting by Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
