UCLA’s baseball team has been on a roll lately, averaging over 9 runs per game. They showed no mercy to No. 7 TCU, decisively winning three games over the weekend.
The Bruins, now ranked first, might be on track to claim a spot as the best team in the school’s history.
UCLA’s coach, Jon Savage, expressed pride in their performance against a strong TCU squad, stating, “We made a clear statement. We’ve got to keep building our character and identity.”
After seven games, the Bruins (6-1) have demonstrated a robust combination of offensive and defensive skills.
The batting lineup is notably deep, with players like Will Gasparino and Dominic Cadiz, hitting out of the eighth and ninth spots, jointly contributing three home runs during a recent 15-5 win over TCU. Gasparino and shortstop Roch Cholowski, both expected to be top MLB draft picks, are currently tied for the national lead with six home runs each.
“Starting strong against this caliber of pitching has been great,” Savage remarked. “Having that kind of power in the shortstop and center field positions is pretty special.”
The lineup boasts both power and speed, utilizing a mix of left and right-handed hitters, which complicates things for opposing pitchers.
“We have a really balanced lineup,” Savage noted, as his team maintains a .316 batting average with an impressive 9.2 RBIs per game. “Every player, literally one through nine, is a threat.”
Defensively, they’ve been solid, with Savage highlighting that his squad is still error-free through the first seven games—a feat not commonly seen across the nation.
“I can’t think of many teams that can claim they’ve gone seven games without an error,” Savage commented.
Pitching is yet another asset for UCLA. Michael Burnett and Logan Reddeman both achieved victories in their first two starts, with Burnett holding a 1.80 ERA and Redman tallying 16 strikeouts across 10 innings. Reliever Wylan Moss has also been exceptional, pitching 6 2/3 scoreless innings over two games.
“His last outing was just incredible,” Savage praised Moss. “I think he struck out nine in a row. It was really impressive to see him pitch with that level of command and speed.”
Although closer Easton Hawk had a rough game, maintaining his coach’s trust seemed important. Savage had planned to use Hawk on Sunday, but the team’s strong performance led to an early end to that game.
So, could this be the Bruins’ best team ever?
Savage is cautious in his optimism. “It’s tough to say. I don’t really think about it that way,” he admitted, reflecting on his past success with the team. “It’s more about what we’re trying to build and the identity we hope to create.”
He elaborated, “I want a team with a tough spirit that embraces challenges and strives for improvement.”
UCLA will get another chance to showcase their skills on Tuesday when they face San Diego State at Jackie Robinson Stadium at 5 p.m.
