| Softball |
|---|
| UCLA — 9 |
| Rutgers — 2 |
One inning was all UCLA baseball needed to take control against Rutgers on Sunday, April 12. UCLA erupted into four runs in the frame, leaving Rutgers in the dust as they powered to snatch the 9-2 win from the Scarlet Knights, collecting their sixth straight Big Ten Series.
No. 1 UCLA baseball (33-2, 18-0 Big Ten) squared up against Rutgers (17-18, 5-10 Big Ten) in Piscataway, New Jersey. Having secured the series in the previous days, UCLA kept its streak up as they remained unbeaten in Big Ten all through the weekend.
The crack of the bat echoed through the field as the game got underway. The second inning foreshadowed the Bruins’ future success as they revved up the scoring, and surely enough, they scored four runs in the fourth inning.
Freshman second baseman Aiden Aguayo was the first to strike for UCLA, who scored a two-out triple and allowed his teammate junior center fielder Will Gasparino to return home from his lead-off single.
They built power and momentum moving into the fourth inning. Dallin Harrison, the pitcher for the Scarlet Knights, was out of his depth. UCLA’s redshirt sophomore designated hitter, Aidan Espinoza, knocked Harrison out of the game with his efficient RBI double in the fourth inning and continued the Bruins’ relentlessness stepping up to bat.
In the fifth inning, UCLA stepped up to the plate and drove themselves all the way home. UCLA junior catcher Cashel Dugger went 3-for-4 with a single RBI, as his teammate topped it all off with a solo home run. UCLA’s lead continued to grow and outpace the exhausted opposition.
Junior right-handed pitcher Landon Stump lived up to his name as he truly stumped the Knights. He entered the game with a 4.33 ERA, and as he stepped up to his first fifth inning all season, he tossed six shutout innings and only surrendered one hit. His efficiency and ruthless play put Rutgers up in the air, leaving them unbalanced throughout the game and setting a solid foundation for UCLA to take the win.
The seventh inning revealed a small blip in the Bruins’ play, as redshirt junior left-handed pitcher Chris Grothues struggled to maintain control. He allowed two runs in the first two batters he faced, but luckily, UCLA recovered as junior left fielder Dean West stole the show back and came home on a sacrifice fly.
Rutgers were defenseless against the fierce Bruins as they struck out 48 times with just 11 hits across all games. UCLA outhit Rutgers 14-2, showing them up with their efficiency, disciplined hitting and dominant pitching.
With a winning streak and a pristine conference play record, UCLA returns home looking more and more like a College World Series contender. They not only secured the sweep against Rutgers but also reinforced their reputation as one of the strongest baseball teams in the country.
Next, UCLA will face UC Santa Barbara on April 14 at home, with first pitch set for 7 p.m. PST.
