University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Saturday, May 2
East Lansing, MI
12:35 PM (PT)
UCLA
42-4, 23-0
4
at
3
Michigan State
16-27, 10-16
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| Michigan State | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
Payton Brennan
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
Four-Run First Powers No. 1 UCLA to 4-3 Win at Michigan State
May 02, 2026 | Baseball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The No. 1-ranked UCLA baseball team rode a four-run first inning and a steady bullpen effort to a 4-3 win over Michigan State on Saturday afternoon at Jeff Ishbia Field.
The Bruins (42-4, 23-0 Big Ten) stayed perfect in conference play behind three-hit performances from Roch Cholowsky and Cashel Dugger. Dean West added two hits, and Payton Brennan delivered a key two-run single in the opening frame. Roman Martin also chipped in with a hit.
On the mound, Michael Barnett turned in a solid start, working 4.1 innings and allowing two runs on four hits. Elai Iwanaga (2-0) earned the win, and the bullpen quartet of Justin Lee, Angel Cervantes, Cal Randall, and Easton Hawk combined to allow just one run on three hits over the final 4.2 innings.
Hawk closed it out with his 11th save of the season, and his second in as many days.
UCLA jumped in front with a four-run first inning, stringing together three hits to seize early control. West opened the game with a double, and Cholowsky followed with a sharp single through the left side. Levu drew a walk to load the bases, setting up Brennan, who punched a two-run single up the middle. With two outs, Dugger capped the inning by scorching a ground ball past a diving second baseman to plate two more.
The Spartans got a run back in the second, capitalizing on a strikeout that skipped away from Dugger and turning the extra baserunner into an RBI double. Michigan State trimmed the deficit in the fifth, pushing across a run on a bases-loaded walk to make it a two-run game. Iwanaga navigated out of the bases-loaded jam, getting a strikeout and a ground out to limit further damage.
Cervantes fired a scoreless seventh before turning the ball over to Randall in the eighth. Randall retired the first hitter he faced but then allowed a run and put two runners aboard, prompting a move to Hawk, who came in and stranded the tying run at third with the final out of the inning.
Hawk stayed on for the ninth and worked a perfect frame, securing his second save in as many days and clinching the series win for UCLA.
The Bruins return for the series finale tomorrow at 9:05 a.m. PT, with live coverage available on B1G+.
The Bruins (42-4, 23-0 Big Ten) stayed perfect in conference play behind three-hit performances from Roch Cholowsky and Cashel Dugger. Dean West added two hits, and Payton Brennan delivered a key two-run single in the opening frame. Roman Martin also chipped in with a hit.
On the mound, Michael Barnett turned in a solid start, working 4.1 innings and allowing two runs on four hits. Elai Iwanaga (2-0) earned the win, and the bullpen quartet of Justin Lee, Angel Cervantes, Cal Randall, and Easton Hawk combined to allow just one run on three hits over the final 4.2 innings.
Hawk closed it out with his 11th save of the season, and his second in as many days.
UCLA jumped in front with a four-run first inning, stringing together three hits to seize early control. West opened the game with a double, and Cholowsky followed with a sharp single through the left side. Levu drew a walk to load the bases, setting up Brennan, who punched a two-run single up the middle. With two outs, Dugger capped the inning by scorching a ground ball past a diving second baseman to plate two more.
The Spartans got a run back in the second, capitalizing on a strikeout that skipped away from Dugger and turning the extra baserunner into an RBI double. Michigan State trimmed the deficit in the fifth, pushing across a run on a bases-loaded walk to make it a two-run game. Iwanaga navigated out of the bases-loaded jam, getting a strikeout and a ground out to limit further damage.
Cervantes fired a scoreless seventh before turning the ball over to Randall in the eighth. Randall retired the first hitter he faced but then allowed a run and put two runners aboard, prompting a move to Hawk, who came in and stranded the tying run at third with the final out of the inning.
Hawk stayed on for the ninth and worked a perfect frame, securing his second save in as many days and clinching the series win for UCLA.
The Bruins return for the series finale tomorrow at 9:05 a.m. PT, with live coverage available on B1G+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Iwanaga, Elai (2-0)
L: Donovan,Aidan (4-3)
S: Hawk, Easton (11)
Batting:
2B: West, Dean 1
RBI: Brennan, Payton 2 ; Dugger, Cashel 2
Base Running:
RUNS: West, Dean 1 ; Cholowsky, Roch 1 ; Levu, Mulivai 1 ; Brennan, Payton 1
Batting:
2B: Picot,Parker 1
RBI: Deckinga,CJ 1 ; Picot,Parker 1 ; Murphy,Dayton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sturgess,Isaac 1 ; Deckinga,CJ 1 ; Picot,Parker 1
CS: Seymour,Randy 1
HBP: Picot,Parker 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
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