Ducks Fall to UCLA in Series Finale, 9-6

Sunday, May 10

Los Angeles, Calif.

12:02 p.m.

University of Oregon

36-14, 18-9

UCLA

46-5, 26-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oregon	0	0	1	5	0	0	0	0	0	6	8	1
UCLA	1	0	0	0	0	2	1	5	X	9	13	1

Photo by: Zoe Rivers

05/10/26 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score: #1 UCLA 9, #13 Oregon 6

By: Jake Edwards

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — No. 13 Oregon built a five-run advantage but could not close it out Sunday, as No. 1 UCLA responded with eight unanswered runs, highlighted by a five-run eighth inning, to take the rubber match 9-6 in a crucial Big Ten series at Jackie Robinson Field.

The Ducks (36-14, 18-9 Big Ten) appeared in control after building a 6-1 lead behind a dominant outing from Miles Gosztola and a five-run fourth inning punctuated by Brayden Jaksa's towering three-run homer. But UCLA (46-5, 26-1 Big Ten) answered late, scoring twice in the sixth, once in the seventh and erupting for five runs with two outs in the eighth inning.

Dean West delivered the decisive swing for the Bruins with a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning.

How It Happened: UCLA grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, but Gosztola limited the damage by stranding runners at the corners with a strikeout to end the inning.

Oregon responded in the third inning after an early strikeout, sparking a rally with a walk and consecutive hits. Drew Smith delivered a two-out RBI single to even the score and force UCLA starter Landon Stump out of the game after 2.2 innings. Stump, who had never made it through four innings against the Ducks, again struggled to work deep as Oregon began to build momentum before reliever Ian May entered and retired the final batter to preserve a 1-1 tie.

The Ducks broke the game open in the fourth by capitalizing on a pair of costly UCLA miscues. Lightning struck on consecutive pitches to open the inning, as Maddox Molony reached on a dropped third strike and Gabe Miranda followed with a bunt that was misplayed for an error, putting two runners aboard immediately. A walk by Naulivou Lauaki Jr. loaded the bases, and Jack Brooks added to the damage with an RBI single into shallow center that moved each runner up 90 feet.

UCLA's Dean West briefly halted the momentum with a leaping catch at the wall to rob Ryan Cooney of a grand slam, limiting Oregon to a sacrifice fly on the play. But the Ducks answered right back, as Jaksa followed on the next pitch with what appeared to be the knockout blow — a towering three-run home run that nearly cleared the batter's eye in center field to stretch the lead to 6-1. All five runs in the fourth were unearned.

Gosztola continued to dominate on the mound. The southpaw struck out the side in the fourth inning and had retired 13 of 14 batters while matching a career high with nine strikeouts entering the sixth inning.

UCLA began to chip away in the sixth inning, starting with a solo home run from Roch Cholowsky to open the frame. Gosztola retired the next batter but exited after 5 1/3 strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits with zero walks while striking out nine. The Bruins then extended the inning with a two-out rally, scoring on a double down the left field line that was mishandled by Jaksa, allowing the runner from third to come home. UCLA added another run in the seventh to cut Oregon's lead to 6-4.

The Bruins completed the comeback in the eighth.

Down to their final four outs and on the verge of their first series loss of the season, the Bruins kept the inning alive with three consecutive two-out baserunners, including an RBI single by Aidan Espinoza that brought UCLA within one. West then delivered the decisive blow, launching a go-ahead grand slam to give UCLA its first lead since the second inning.

UCLA's Easton Hawk retired the Ducks in order in the ninth to secure the series victory.

Box Score Notes: Molony made his 100th career start for Oregon … Gosztola matched a career-high nine strikeouts … Devin Bell suffered the loss to fall to 2-5 ... Ducks went 3-for-6 with RISP ... All nine Ducks batters reached base on Sunday

On Deck: Oregon returns home next weekend for its final regular-season conference series against No. 18 USC. First pitch is scheduled for Thursday at 7:05 p.m. (B1G+)