The No. 1 UCLA Bruins got their revenge on TCU in their early-season series against the Horned Frogs. The Bruins were swept by TCU in 2024, something head coach John Savage was reminded of with TCU taking their second trip to Jackie Robinson Stadium in two years.
The Bruins encapsulated why they are the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, with special outings from players like junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky and new junior transfer center field Will Gasparino.
The No. 1 UCLA Bruins baseball team (6-1, 0-0 Big Ten) took all three games in its series to complete the sweep against No. 7 TCU (2-5, 0-0 Big 12) at Jackie Robinson Stadium in the last weekend of February. The Bruins took game one 10-2 with the help of a two-home run performance from Cholowsky. The Bruins took game two 5-1 this time, fueled by excellent pitching and a masterclass in base running. Game three was UCLA’s most offensive game, with eight players earning an RBI and three batters hitting at least one home run.
Game 1
No. 1 UCLA (4-1) took on No. 7 TCU (2-3) on Feb. 20, at Jackie Robinson Stadium, as the first game in a three-game series.
UCLA defeated TCU with a final score of 10-2 on Friday night. Junior pitcher Logan Reddemann got his second start of the season and faced off against TCU starting sophomore pitcher Mason Brassfield. Reddman, coming off an underwhelming performance, rebounded with a shutdown outing against the Horned Frogs.
After a scoreless first inning, the Bruins would start their onslaught from a line-drive double by Gasparino, which freshman second baseman Aiden Aguayo scored on, giving the Bruins their first lead of the game. Then it was Cholowsky’s turn, and with the bases loaded, he did what he does best, launching a four-run home run to left field, and gave UCLA a 5-0 lead. Junior left field Dean West, senior designated hitter Jarrod Hocking, and Gasparino all rounded the bases thanks to Cholowsky.
Reddemann’s stellar performance would take a dip in the fourth inning when TCU junior outfielder would hit a one-run home run to left field to finally get TCU on the board, cutting UCLA’s lead down to six with a score of 7-1.
The Bruins added to their lead in the fifth inning, as Cholowsky would hit yet another home run, totaling five home runs in the first five games of the year, a record-breaking pace for Cholowsky. UCLA junior first baseman Mulivai Levu would then score on a wild pitch, followed by a line drive by Aguayo, allowing UCLA junior third baseman Roman Martin to score and extend the Bruins lead to nine with a score of 10-1.
The Bruins dominated the game with a mix of stellar pitching from Reddemann and an offensive juggernaut performance from Cholowsky. Cholowsky continues to dominate and showcase why he is the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Game 2
The Bruins followed their Friday victory with another impressive offensive output, including several stolen bases and a two-run home run en route to a 5-1 victory. Senior pitcher Michael Barnett was the starting pitcher for the Bruins, facing off against freshman pitcher Lance Davis for TCU.
Barnett was off to a shaky start, giving up a home run in the first inning to TCU sophomore outfielder Sawyer Strosnider. The Bruins would quickly respond with a line drive RBI to first base from Levu, in which West would score, tying the game at one a piece.
The Bruins would score again in the second inning with an RBI single to center field from Gasparino, with Aguayo dashing to home base to give UCLA a 2-1 lead over the Horned Frogs.
Gasperino would get on the scoresheet again in the fourth inning with a bomb to left field for a two-run home run, Gasperino and Aguayo both rounding the bases. The Bruins would then lead 4-1.
The Bruins last run would come in the seventh inning, with an RBI single from Cholowsky with freshman designated hitter Trey Gudoy scoring.
The Bruins had excellent pitching with Barnett bouncing back after the home run in the first, throwing four strikeouts, and Moss pitching a flawless four innings, throwing 10 strikeouts and only giving up two hits.
UCLA took a two-win lead in the series against TCU and will look to close the series out with a sweep, an opportunity that was missed in the series against UCSD. “We are just going to set up tomorrow, not shooting like it is 2-0, and come in with the same mentality of winning pitch-to-pitch, and breaking it up into small wins over nine innings. That is how we are going to continue to be successful,” Moss said.
Game 3
The Bruins showcased their offensive firepower on Sunday, Feb. 22, to complete the series sweep against the Horned Frogs with a final score of 15-5. Junior Landon Stump received the starting pitcher spot for UCLA, and for TCU, it was freshman Uli Fernsler. Despite the lopsided score, the Bruins were evenly matched by TCU through five innings.
Stump struggled early, giving up three hits and a walk in the first inning. TCU would score in the first inning as a result of a mishandled ball by Aguayo.
However, the Bruins would quickly respond in the second Inning with Gasparino crushing a ball out of the park for a two-run homer, his second in two days, in which Aguayo and Gasparino would run the bases and give the Bruins their first lead of the game over TCU 2-1.
The scoring would not stop there for the Bruins with the very next at bat, with freshman designated hitter Dominic Cadiz hitting a single-run home run to put UCLA up 3-1.
Unfortunately for the Bruins, TCU would respond the very next inning with Strosnider nailing a line drive down the right field line, and second baseman Cole Cramer would score on the play, putting the Horned Frogs back within one, 3-2.
At the very next at bat, junior center fielder Chase Brunson would hit a ground ball to second base, and Aguayo would again mishandle the ball, allowing Strosnider to score and tie the game at three apiece
The Bruins would then pull Stump and opt for redshirt senior pitcher Ian May.
In the bottom of the third inning to shift the momentum back to the Bruins, Cholowsky stepped up to the plate and delivered a heater for a solo home run to put the Bruins back up 4-3.
The frustrations would rise in the fourth inning for Gasparino when he was struck out by a controversial call by the home plate umpire, Gasparino having words with the official before heading back to the dugout.
The Horned Frogs would respond again in the fifth inning with Strosnider knocking the ball out the park for a home run to tie the game 4-4.
The Bruins would carve their path to victory in the fifth and sixth innings, scoring five runs, including a three-run home run by Gasparino, his second of the game and the Bruins would end the sixth inning up 9-4.
The Bruins would pile on to their lead in the eighth inning, scoring six runs, two of which resulted from an Aguayo sinker to left field allowing first baseman Levu and third baseman Martin to score. The Bruins would finish the game with a 15-5 win.
Gasparino, on his argument with the base umpire in the fourth inning, said, “I was just upset that he did not ask the first base Umpire, I thought it was his call, and I did not think it was the guy behind the plate’s call, and that is all I was trying to say.”
The Bruins improve their record to 6-1 and extend their winning streak to four games. UCLA faces off against San Diego State on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. PST, at Jackie Robinson Stadium, their last home game before an SEC road trip.
