Players and coaches often say it’s important to keep a short memory in sports.

But coach John Savage has said his team needs to remember they can rebound from mistakes and tough losses.

Breaking a two-game losing streak, UCLA baseball (8-3) outlasted UConn (1-7) in a 8-6 victory at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Saturday. Recording double-digit hits for the first time in three contests, UCLA recovered from an 8-3 Friday night loss to No. 14 Vanderbilt, its second consecutive defeat in a weekend opener.

“Not the prettiest game to say the least,” Savage said. “We’ve had two pretty tough starts the last two nights, really put us in a tough spot, really something that we really don’t want to be in. But I thought the guys showed some resiliency, and we came out on top.”

The Bruins encountered trouble early when redshirt junior southpaw Ian May surrendered a solo home run to UConn third baseman Tyler Minick in the top of the first. The home side tied the ballgame in the second after redshirt sophomore center fielder Payton Brennan’s leadoff triple allowed junior designated hitter Jarrod Hocking to tie the game with an RBI groundout.

After going yard Friday, sophomore first baseman Mulivai Levu notched his team-leading fourth home run of the season with a solo shot to left center that granted the Bruins a 2-1 lead in the third. Just one inning later, sophomore second baseman Phoenix Call extended the advantage to two with a two-out RBI infield single to short.

But shortstop Rob Rispoli’s two-run blast tied the game for the Huskies, ending May’s day at 4.1 innings pitched with six hits, three earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts on 86 pitches.

With neither May nor junior right-hander Cody Delvecchio – who started Friday and allowed eight earned runs – reaching five innings, Savage said the Bruins will need better performances from their weekend starters.

“They’re making mistakes with runners on base,” Savage said. “Being part of the starters, you have to be able to pitch out of problems.”

The Bruins scored five runs in the fifth – building a lead that the Huskies wouldn’t be able to overcome. After UConn walked the bases loaded, sophomore third baseman Cameron Kim ripped a two-RBI single through the right side, knocking right-handed starter Ian Cooke from the game. After sophomore catcher Blake Balsz walked to reload the bases, Call chopped a hard-hit grounder to Bryan Padilla. The UConn second baseman bobbled the short hop and sent an errant throw toward first base, allowing two to score.

“My mindset’s the same every at-bat,” Call said.”Try to get my best swing off and pass it to the next guy behind me.”

And Call did just that, passing the baton to sophomore left fielder Dean West, who delivered his own RBI single to left – putting UCLA up 8-3.

Relievers freshman right-hander CJ Bott, graduate student right-hander August Souza – who made his Bruin debut Saturday – junior right-hander Jack O’Connor and graduate student left-hander Ryan Rissas combined for 2.2 innings and allowed just three hits – but let the Huskies cut the deficit to two heading into the eighth.

However, Wylan Moss would quickly shut down any comeback aspirations for the Huskies, punching out two across the final two frames, recording his second collegiate save in as many relief appearances. The freshman right-hander leads the team with 17 strikeouts over 12 innings pitched.

“I’d probably just say all the work I put in the fall (has been the biggest help in my transition to collegiate baseball),” Moss said. “Getting to the grind right away in the fall and the hard work and preparation in the offseason.”

With a chance to win its first three weekend series for the first time since 2022, UCLA will take on crosstown rival USC on Sunday with first pitch at 2 p.m. Sophomore right-hander Landon Stump is expected to get the nod for the Bruins in his third start of the season while right-hander Michael Ebner will make his sixth career start for the Trojans.

“We’re 1-1 going into Sunday,” Savage said, “It will be a great opportunity to see where we’re at.”