A team needs to be firing on all cylinders in order to take down a top-10 baseball squad.

But Tuesday, Bruin hitters recorded just four hits, the pitching staff allowed seven runs and the defense made three errors, tying its single-game season high.

No. 10 UCLA baseball (28-8, 12-3 Big Ten) was defeated 7-1 by No. 6 Oregon State (27-7) on Tuesday at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Jackie Robinson Day, losing the UCLA alumnus’ – and breaker of the MLB color barrier’s – honorary game for the second straight season. The former Pac-12 rival is UCLA’s highest-ranked opponent so far this season – surpassing then-No. 14 Vanderbilt, which the Bruins lost to 8-3 on Feb. 28.

Coach John Savage said the loss may prepare his team for its upcoming weekend series against No. 12 Oregon – the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten, per a poll of the conference’s 17 head coaches.

“We can learn from it,” Savage said. “Oregon’s going to be really no different than Oregon State. It’s good for us if we can respond. I mean, the loss is never good, per se. But I think if you can learn from it, it could be very beneficial for our team.”

UCLA’s six-run deficit was its worst loss since March 8, when it was run-ruled by Maryland in just seven innings.

The Beavers captured an early lead in the first two frames against redshirt junior left-hander Ian May, racking up five hits in two innings. By coaxing two double plays, however, May was able to limit the damage to two runs.

In the third, the Bruins responded with their lone run. Sophomore first baseman Mulivai Levu singled – recording UCLA’s only hit with a runner on base – to score sophomore left fielder Dean West, who singled to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.

“Offensively, you know, it was a tough night,” said sophomore second baseman Grant Gray, who went 1-for-3 Tuesday. “Feel like we barreled some balls that didn’t fall our way. You have those nights, kind of goes that way sometimes.”

Oregon State scored five in the fourth off graduate student left-hander Ryan Rissas – pitching for just the second time in the Bruins’ last 12 games – putting the Bruins in a six-run hole.

Oregon State designated hitter Carson McEntire’s second collegiate home run proved the game-winner – a two-run shot off Rissas that clunked the left field foul pole.

However, the final two runs scored against the southpaw were unearned, as Beavers catcher Wilson Weber’s line drive single got past West, gifting each runner two additional bases on just the left fielder’s third error of the season.

“We’ve played good defense all season,” Savage said. “We didn’t play very good defense tonight. We (May) picked a guy off and we didn’t get the guy out in the first. Then the diving play by Roman, he needs to go to first on that play, not second.”

The five Bruins relievers who followed Rissas each tossed a scoreless frame, striking out five total batters while surrendering just four hits and walking none.

One of the relievers was redshirt junior right-hander James Hepp, who made his first appearance for UCLA since 2023.

“It was really good to be back out there,” Hepp said. “Really excited. Kind of a lot of nerves, but it was just really fun to be back out there.”

Hepp struck out two Beavers and allowed a hit in his inning of work.

On the mound for Oregon State, right-handers Wyatt Queen, James DeCremer and Laif Palmer tossed three innings each and limited UCLA to a 1-for-16 performance with runners on base.

“The bullpen was really good,” Savage said. “We put up five zeros the last five innings. So we gave ourselves a chance, but we weren’t able to solve their pitching.”