LOS ANGELES, CA — No. 1-ranked UCLA erupted for five runs in the first inning and never relinquished control, defeating Hawaii 12-7 on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium to extend its dominant season.
The Bruins (37-3) built an early cushion and leaned on timely power hitting, including two home runs from Will Gasparino, to hold off the Rainbows (20-16) in a high-scoring, back-and-forth contest. UCLA finished with 11 hits and capitalized on early opportunities to set the tone, improving its already impressive record with another offensive showcase.
“We came out aggressive and set the tone right away,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “That first inning gave us breathing room, and even when they pushed back, our guys kept responding.”
Hawaii struck first in the opening inning, but UCLA answered emphatically in the bottom half. The Bruins sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs, highlighted by Gasparino’s three-run home run and RBI contributions from Dean West and Roman Martin. The early outburst put Hawaii on its heels and forced it to play from behind for the remainder of the night.
The Rainbows responded with resilience. Hawaii scored three runs in the third inning and added another in the fourth to cut into the deficit, with Kamana Nahaku and Ben Zeigler-Namoa providing key offensive sparks. Nahaku finished with three runs scored, while Zeigler-Namoa drove in three runs, including a home run.
Despite Hawaii’s efforts, UCLA continued to apply pressure. The Bruins added single runs in the third and fourth innings before extending the lead again with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Gasparino delivered again during that stretch, finishing with five RBIs on the night, while Roch Cholowsky contributed a home run and scored three times.
Mulivai Levu and Roman Martin also chipped in with RBIs as UCLA’s lineup showcased its depth, producing runs across multiple innings. The Bruins’ ability to answer each Hawaii rally proved decisive.
“I felt like every time we got close, they had an answer,” Hawaii coach Rich Hill said. “Against a lineup like that, you have to limit the damage early, and we just couldn’t do that tonight.”
Hawaii continued to fight, scoring two runs in the sixth inning to make it a 9-7 game, but the Bruins bullpen settled in from there. UCLA used nine pitchers in the contest, with Ian May (1-0) earning the win after allowing one run over two innings while stabilizing the middle frames.
Relievers Cal Randall, Zach Strickland and Justin Lee combined for three scoreless innings late to shut the door on any comeback attempt. Lee worked a clean ninth inning to secure the victory.
Hawaii finished with 12 hits but left 11 runners on base, missing several chances to close the gap. UCLA, meanwhile, took advantage of hit-by-pitches and timely hitting, scoring 12 runs despite collecting one fewer hit than the Rainbows.
The win further solidifies UCLA’s position as one of the top teams in college baseball, while Hawaii showed flashes of offensive firepower but ultimately could not overcome the Bruins’ explosive start.