LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Penn State baseball team dropped a 9-0 decision at No. 15 UCLA on Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Bruins plated five runs in the fourth to break the game open. Penn State is now 25-16 overall (12-11 Big Ten), while the Bruins improved to 31-11 overall (15-5 Big Ten).
Mason Horwat got the start for the Nittany Lions, going 3.2 innings. He allowed six runs on seven hits and struck out one. Horwat gave up one run through his first three innings. Mason Butash worked two innings and allowed three runs on three hits. Will Andrews tossed 2.1 shutout innings and walked one batter.
Michael Barnett started on the mound for UCLA, throwing six scoreless innings. He gave up five hits and struck out six. Cal Randall worked a scoreless seventh. Josh Alger threw a shutout eighth. CJ Bott gave up one run and two hits in an inning.
Penn State recorded one run on seven hits. Bryce Molinaro notched two singles and scored a run. Jesse Jaconski added an RBI single and Jack Porter had a double.
UCLA tallied nine runs on 10 hits. AJ Salgado collected a double, triple and a homer, while totaling three RBI and three runs. Payton Brennan had two hits, including a two-run homer, and three RBI. Roch Cholowsky added a solo homer.
In the top of the second, Molinaro started the inning with a single to left-center. He moved up to second and third on back-to-back groundouts. However, a flyout to right ended the inning.
The Bruins got on the board in the second. With one out, Salgado sent a line drive off the wall in center and raced to third for a triple. Brennan followed with a single through the right side to bring in Salgado. UCLA led 1-0.
UCLA added five runs in the fourth. Cholowsky lifted an 0-1 pitch over the wall in left for a leadoff homer. Mulivai Levu worked a walk and advanced to second on a groundout. Salgado lined a double to left-center to bring in Levu. A fly ball by Brennan went over the wall in left for a two-run homer. Jarrod Hocking was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a single by Cashel Duggar. Phoenix Call placed a sac bunt on the right side as Hocking hustled home. The Bruins held a 6-0 lead.
The Bruins plated two runs in the fifth. With one out, Roman Martin was hit by a pitch. Salgado lifted a 1-0 pitch over the wall in center for a two-run homer. UCLA extended its lead to 8-0.
UCLA added a run in the sixth. With two outs, Dean West worked a walk and Cholowsky was hit by a pitch. Levu sent a single through the middle to drive in West. UCLA led 9-0.
In the top of the ninth, with two outs, Molinaro lined a single to right. He advanced to second on defensive indifference. Jaconski dropped a single into center as Molinaro hustled home.
The series concludes on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET, with a broadcast on B1G+.
The 2025 Penn State Baseball season is presented by The Family Clothesline.