UCLA Evens CSF Series With 4-1 Win

FULLERTON, Calif. – Michael Barnett fired 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball and AJ Salgado provided a tie-breaking two-run double in the seventh as UCLA recorded a 4-1 win over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday afternoon at Goodwin Field.

The result evened the weekend series between the Bruins (15-29) and Titans (14-29) at one game apiece.

The two teams will decide the series on Sunday at Jackie Robinson Stadium starting at 2 p.m. PT. It marks the third venue of the weekend, as UCLA and Cal State Fullerton played at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Friday night.

UCLA and CSF battled to a 1-1 tie through six innings on Saturday, but UCLA rallied for a decisive two-spot just ahead of the seventh-inning stretch.

Freshman third baseman Roch Cholowsky sparked the rally with a hot-shot past the CSF third baseman that went for a leadoff single. UCLA then loaded the bases after a misplayed double play ball and an infield single from graduate catcher Quintt Landis.

That set the stage for Salgado, who went the other way on an 0-1 offering and dropped it down the left-field line to easily plate two. That double stood up as the game-winning hit.

Landis provided some key insurance for the Bruins in the ninth, scorching a line drive over the center fielder's head for an RBI double.

The two teams traded ones in the fourth to open the scoring.

Junior second baseman Duce Gourson was the main man responsible for the Bruins' first run, opening the fourth with a double to right before scoring on a Cholowsky sac fly.

The Titans mustered little offense against Barnett other than the single run in the fourth.

He had to wiggle out of a first inning jam – he froze Moises Guzman on an outside fastball for an inning-ending K with the bases loaded – but settled down after that, going 1-2-3 in the second and allowing just a single baserunner in the third, fifth, and sixth frames.

Barnett got an assist from freshman righty Landon Stump after CSF put a pair of runners aboard with two outs in the seventh, as Stump entered the game from the bullpen and got an inning-ending groundout on his very first pitch.

Stump and graduate closer Rashad Ruff – who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth en route to his seventh save of the year – didn't allow a hit the rest of the way.