Opening Day jitters that seemed to impact the Bruins’ bats Friday were far from Jackie Robinson Stadium during Saturday’s contest.

Scoring its most runs in a single game since February 2023, UCLA baseball (2-0) cruised to an 18-2 victory over Cal Poly (0-2) in the second game of the 2025 campaign. The Bruins’ Saturday night hit parade was a sharp contrast to Friday’s 3-2 win, with UCLA scoring four runs in the first inning alone Saturday afternoon.

“A little more relaxed approach (Saturday),” said coach John Savage. “We did a really good job. I mean, who could complain about that?”

In a game where the Bruins scored 18 runs on as many hits, 18 players saw the field – 14 of which were hitters. Eight batters from UCLA’s starting lineup knocked a hit, with six Bruins recording multiple – including freshman outfielder Logan de Groot, who lined two singles to center in his collegiate debut after pinch hitting in the bottom of the seventh.

Down 1-0 heading into the bottom of the first, sophomore left fielder Dean West smoked a leadoff double into the right-center gap, allowing Roch Cholowsky to tie the ballgame with an RBI single up the middle. The sophomore shortstop came around to score on a base hit from sophomore third baseman Roman Martin – giving the Bruins a 2-1 lead and an advantage they would not relinquish.

Outside of his 2-for-4 performance, Cholowsky demonstrated his defensive range, diving into the hole to rob Cal Poly second baseman Ryan Fenn of a base knock in the top of the fifth.

“He’s an impact leader,” Savage said. “If there’s a better shortstop out there, I want to see him.”

Saturday’s game also featured the first Bruin homers of the season with sophomore first baseman Mulivai Levu sending a 2-0 offering to the roof of the right field batting facility in the bottom of the third and redshirt sophomore center fielder Payton Brennan blasting one to the batter’s eye in the bottom of the fifth.

After a hitless night Friday, Brennan finished Saturday a single shy of a cycle and tied with Martin for a team-leading four RBIs.

“Just happy to be out there, not trying to do too much while trying to get back into the rhythm of things,” Brennan said.

Brennan added that improved clubhouse chemistry could continue to pay dividends for the Bruins though the season.

“We have a tighter group this year, and I think that’s going to help us a lot,” Brennan said.

Saturday’s contest featured the UCLA debut of California transfer and redshirt junior southpaw Ian May, who tallied his first win as a Bruin.

Despite a leadoff single and balk that led to a first-inning Mustang run, May tossed five innings and notched three strikeouts, allowing just one earned run – a solo shot to left center off the bat of first baseman Zach Daudet.

“It’s easy when the team puts up 18 runs and makes a bunch of sweet plays behind me,” May said. “I was pumped to be out there and get it done today.”

While Savage said he believes May can be sharper, he praised the junior’s perseverance in an unconventional contest and his ability to utilize his off-speed tools to generate outs.

After sophomore right-hander Luke Rodriguez tossed a scoreless sixth and seventh – eluding the traffic of three hits and two walks – a pair of collegiate debuts finished the game for the Bruins. Freshman CJ Bott and redshirt junior Josh Alger, who came back from injury, pitched a shutout inning each, recording two strikeouts apiece.

The Bruins will have a chance at sweeping the Mustangs on Sunday. Sophomore right-hander Landon Stump will get the starting nod for UCLA with first pitch at 1 p.m.

“It’s zero-zero tomorrow,” Savage said. “It doesn’t matter if you win 3-2 or 18-2.”