The Top-25 matchup between No. 1 UCLA and No. 13 Oregon was a one-sided affair as the Bruins run-ruled the Ducks with a 11-1 pouncing at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday.
The Bruins were coming off of a mid-week thrashing of the LMU Lions and they carried it over to their series opener against the Ducks. The Bruins rested junior right-handed ace Logan Reddemann’s arm, but sophomore right-handed pitcher Wylan Moss stepped on the mound and dominated Oregon by allowing just three hits for one run over his seven innings of play.
Two steps ahead
Moss retired Oregon’s first three batters in the top of the first to get the night started off in UCLA’s favor. In the bottom of the first, the Bruins struck three pitches with junior outfielder Will Gasparino’s double being the last hit to send the Bruins first two runners across home plate.
Three, two, one… blast off
Neither team could get on base in the second, but UCLA ran all over the diamond in the bottom of the third. Junior first baseman Mulivai Levu started the four-run inning with a two-run homer that brought the Bruins lead up to 4-0. UCLA got two more of their base runners home with a fielder’s choice and fielding error helping them cross home plate.
Ducks quack back
Moss had his worst inning of the game in the top of the fourth with two hits and a sacrifice fly allowing his first run against Oregon. UCLA responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth with junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky running home from third off of a wild pitch and Levu being walked home to put the Bruins up 8-1.
Three more for good measure
UCLA’s young pitcher steadied himself with one hit in the fifth and none in sixth. The Bruins batters took advantage of Oregon’s runless innings by opening the bottom of the sixth with a Levu homer to right field. Two batters and redshirt junior outfielder Payton Brennan smack a two-run home run to settle UCLA at an 11-1 lead.
Finishing the seventh
Moss finished the game off with no hits and one walk in the top of the seventh. The Bruins 10-run lead initiated the run-rule and UCLA took the first game of the series in dominant fashion.
UCLA will play their second game against Oregon on Saturday with an anticipated start time of 6:30 p.m. PT.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA Bruins baseball dominates Oregon Ducks in series opener
