Roch Cholowsky stepped into the batter’s box amid a 0-for-14 stretch – hitless in the three games prior to Sunday.

Nonetheless, the crowd at Jackie Robinson Stadium roared when the sophomore shortstop’s name was announced over the PA system in the bottom of the fifth.

And Cholowsky certainly gave them something to cheer about.

Cholowsky smoked USC (9-2) right-hander Andrew Johnson’s 2-2 fastball to left center for a game-winning three-run homer that propelled UCLA baseball (9-3) to a 5-1 victory. The Bruins’ starting shortstop finished the game with two long balls – adding a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh – for the fourth multihomer game in his collegiate career.

“Roch is a tremendous leader – tremendous baseball IQ and high awareness of the game,” said coach John Savage. “He is really advanced for the game.”

Sophomore Roman Martin, who got Saturday off, returned to the starting lineup against the Trojans and led off the fifth with a hard-hit single up the middle. With two outs, sophomore left fielder Dean West kept the inning alive by drawing a seven-pitch walk – putting runners on first and second for Cholowsky.

“Baseball is pretty up and down,” Cholowsky said in regard to his short-lived slump. “Just keeping the confidence in myself and sticking with my approach and my plan.”

Redshirt sophomore center fielder Payton Brennan led off the second with a single. After stealing second and advancing to third on junior designated hitter Jarrod Hocking’s 4-3 ground out, Brennan scored to put the Bruins on the board, coming home when redshirt senior right fielder AJ Salgado beat out a high chopper to short.

Despite allowing nine Trojans to reach, sophomore right-hander Landon Stump tossed 4.1 shutout innings in his third start of the season – rebounding from his previous start against Michigan State, where he allowed eight runs in three-plus innings of work.

“He was competitive,” Savage said. “He wasn’t perfect. He pitched out of problems, … but still a lot of room for improvement.”

Michael Barnett was the first out of the Bruins’ bullpen. In the seventh, the junior right-hander allowed the Trojans’ lone run after designated hitter Augie Lopez singled, stole second and scored on catcher John Elliot’s base hit up the middle.

Barnett, who finished the 2024 season as UCLA’s Saturday starter, pitched 3.2 innings Sunday. In four relief appearances this year, Barnett – who said he embraces his role out of the bullpen – has a 3.75 ERA and a 12.0 K/9.

“It’s one of our identities this year,” Barnett said. “To start the season having a strong bullpen, having a lot of guys that are bought in to what coach is preaching.”

Sophomore right-hander Justin Lee entered to pitch the ninth and walked the leadoff man on five pitches. Elliot then tagged a 1-2 fastball to left center, but Brennan made a diving snag to put the Bruins two outs away.

After center fielder Brayden Dowd singled to put the tying run in the on-deck circle, Lee struck out the final two Trojans to end the ballgame.

UCLA will return to Jackie Robinson Stadium to face Michigan in a nonconference matchup Tuesday at 5 p.m.

“Enjoy this one for about an hour and then get back and look at Michigan,” Savage said.