UCLA struck first in the opening frame. After Dean West drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a groundout, Mulivai Levu came through with a clean single to right, bringing West home for the game’s first run.
Illinois responded quickly in the bottom of the inning, tying the game 1-1 after stringing together two hits and capitalizing on a double play ball. But that would be all the Illini offense could muster, as UCLA starter Michael Barnett worked his way through early traffic and settled in, allowing just one run on seven hits over several efficient innings.
The game remained tight until the fourth, when the Bruins broke it wide open. AJ Salgado and Payton Brennan reached base to start the inning, and Cashel Dugger laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move them over. That’s when Call delivered, lining a base hit up the middle to score both runners. A bunt single by Grant Gray and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, setting up a sacrifice fly from Roch Cholowsky to score Call. Levu then knocked in two more with a sharp single down the left field line, and Salgado capped the frame with an RBI single to make it 8-1.
The Bruins added one more in the sixth, and Illinois managed one baserunner after the fourth inning and never threatened again.
Salgado finished 4-for-5 with two RBIs, while Levu went 3-for-5 and drove in three RBIs. Brennan reached base three times, including twice via hit-by-pitch, and came around to score once.
With the win, UCLA improves its momentum heading into Sunday’s rematch. The first pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. PST.
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Featured Image Photographed by Brianna Carlson/Daily Bruin
