BERKELEY – For the second straight day junior catcher Caleb Lomavita delivered in the clutch for the California baseball team. In the bottom of the ninth, he smashed an 0-2 offering for a three-run walk-off home run to complete the three-game sweep over visiting UCLA, giving the Golden Bears a 6-5 win on Sunday at Stu Gordon Stadium.
Cal (11-3, 3-0 Pac-12) has won nine straight at home, matching the best start since 2018. The Bears have now swept the Bruins in back-to-back seasons. The late-inning heroics started in the bottom of the sixth when Cal scored its first run of the afternoon. The Bears scored six runs on 11 hits – scoring a run in each inning to chip away at the UCLA lead until Lomavita sent the fans home happy.
UCLA (5-9, 0-3) looked poised to take the finale. Not only did the Bruins collect three home runs, two from first baseman Mulivai Levu. Defensively, the Bruins had the Bears' number with left fielder JonJon Vaughns robbing Matthew Thomas of a would-be three-run home run in the sixth that would have given Cal a 4-3 lead.
Bruins starter Michael Barnett did not factor into the decision but was stingy all afternoon. Holding the Beras to one run and five hits over 5.1 innings.
Tyler Stasiowski (1-0) was the winner. He entered the game in the top of the eighth and pitched two perfect innings. Cal used five pitchers on the day, Oliver de la Torre got the start and was stellar through the first time through the order, scattering a pair of hits. The lone blemish to his afternoon was a solo home run to Levu to begin the top of the fourth.
The Bruins jumped out to the early 3-0 lead that inning, but had it not been for a base running blunder the Bruins could have added more. UCLA ran itself into an out at home on a passed ball. Oliver Boone was able to get the Bears out of the jam in the fourth and threw 3.1 effective innings, scattering five hits, two runs with a walk, and two strikeouts.
The Bears began their comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning. Max Handron beat out a potential double play at first, allowing Rodney Green Jr. to score on the play. Solo home runs from Levu and Jack Holeman gave the Bruins a 5-1 lead entering the bottom of the seventh.
PJ Moutzouridis got a run back in the bottom of the seventh thanks to an RBI single up the middle that scored Seth Gwynn from second with one out. Moutzouridis finished the day 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI, it was the 17th of the year for the freshman.
The Bears made it a two-run game in the eighth when Carson Crawford doubled down the right field line which allowed Peyton Schulze to score from first.
Trailing 5-3 in the ninth, Jarren Advincula started the rally with a single up the middle. Moutzouridis followed with a double down the right field line that put runners at second and third. With one out, Lomavita stepped up to the plate. After fouling off a pitch and swinging through strike two, he connected on an inside fastball for his sixth home run of the season and 29th of his career.
Taking the loss was Bruins’ reliever Rashad Ruf (1-1) he entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and attempted to earn the three-inning save. He finished the day going 2.1 innings, allowing six hits, five runs with a walk and four strikeouts.
Cal returns to action on Friday when it travels to Eugene for a three-game series at PK Park. Friday’s game is scheduled for a 5:05 p.m. first pitch with Saturday slated for a 2:05 start and Sunday’s game will begin at 12:05 p.m.
These baseball Bears just do not quit. Against the Bruins they overcame two late inning deficits (7-1 and 5-1) and one late inning tie (1-1) to sweep the series. With the sweep the Bears won the all time series between the two schools 188-187--a lead that no doubt will stand for many years and may never be overcome.
What a great way to say adios to the turncoat Bruins who did so much to help destroy the Pac 12.
