Earlier in the week, UCLA’s baseball team had the nation’s longest winning streak snapped.
Keeping the longest winning streak in the Big Ten alive on Saturday took some doing.
Falling behind Minnesota by two runs after squandering a bases-loaded opportunity with no outs, the top-ranked Bruins needed an offensive spark.
Mulivai Levu was more than happy to provide it, smacking a two-out, two-strike, two-run double to right field as part of a four-run sixth inning that powered UCLA to a 6-4 victory at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
The Bruins (35-3) have now won 20 consecutive games to open Big Ten play, extending their best conference start in program history.
“You usually don’t sit here in the middle of April and you haven’t lost a league game,” said UCLA coach John Savage, whose team’s 27-game winning streak was broken by UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday.
Levu and Roman Martin each tallied two hits and two RBIs for the Bruins. Leadoff hitter Dean West and Roch Cholowsky each reached base four times.
Payton Brennan started UCLA’s big sixth inning with a homer to right field. After Trey Gudoy walked and Cholowsky was hit by a pitch with two outs, Levu delivered his big hit, giving the Bruins a 4-3 lead. Martin followed with a run-scoring single to extend the advantage.
“Comebacks have been a huge part of our game,” Levu said. “I think we’re just a team that doesn’t give up.”
What it means
Savage pinpointed his team’s relentlessness in the face of adversity.
After striking out in his first two at-bats, Martin followed with a pair of run-scoring singles and made a strong throw across the infield to record an out.
“The day’s never over with, and that’s what our guys really believe in,” Savage said. “They put up two [runs to start the sixth inning], we put up four. It seems that we never give up.”
Savage said he was encouraged that his team continued to win while not playing its best baseball.
“Good teams, when they don’t play well and win games, that’s why they’re good teams,” Savage said, “so at the end of the day, you just kind of keep plugging away and you’ll get through that and get back to being us.”
Did you see that?
UCLA right fielder Brennan robbed Minnesota’s Jack Bello of an extra-base hit leading off the fifth inning with a leaping catch in front of the wall.
MVP
More than an hour after he delivered his big hit, Levu passed out Rice Krispies treats made by his aunt outside the clubhouse.
He was in a giving mood all day for a team that needed it.
With two on and two out in the sixth inning, Levu said he anticipated Minnesota reliever Tyler Hemmesch’s fateful pitch.
“I was sitting cutter because I knew it was going to come again,” Levu said, “so I was just trying to elevate the ball this time and try to make contact.”
Up next
The Bruins will try to sweep the Golden Gophers (22-16, 5-12) — and extend their conference winning streak — on Sunday at Jackie Robinson Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
