UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast: No. 14 Bruins Drop Rivalry Series to USC

The No. 14 UCLA Bruins (34-13, 17-7) dropped a pivotal road series with bitter rival USC (32-15, 16-8) this past weekend in Irvine. After a series-opening win, the Bruins allowed a combined 18 runs in the final two games to drop the series. They end the regular season series tied, 2-2.

In this episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, UCLA Bruins On SI beat writer Tom Cavanaugh breaks down the Bruins' devastating rivalry loss to the Trojans and how things unfolded over the weekend.

UCLA started the series on the right foot, earning a 7-6 win, their only win of the series. Freshman reliever Wylan Moss improved to 2-1 after hurling 2.1 innings, allowing just one run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Redshirt senior AJ Salgado blasted his 11th home run of the season while sophomore first baseman Mulivai Levu went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, improving his season totals to 62 hits and a team-leading 60 RBIs.

You can watch the episode below:

Games two and three of the series were filled with Trojan offense. On Saturday, the Bruins trailed 7-0 heading into the eighth inning, making the game somewhat close with five runs over the last two frames, ultimately falling, 7-5.

Junior starting pitcher Michael Barnett was given his first loss of the series after an incredible 8-0 start to the year. He tossed 4.1 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits with four strikeouts. Barnett still holds the best record in the Big Ten at 8-1.

Sophomore infielder Roman Martin clubbed a grand slam and would hit another homer in the series finale to bring his season total to five. The only other offense came from sophomore outfielder Dean West with an RBI single in the ninth.

Sunday's Game 3 turned south for the Bruins after taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on Martin's three-run homer. After starting the game with three scoreless innings on the mound, sophomore right-hander Landon Stump gave up three runs in the fourth to tie the game.

USC would go on to score nine unanswered runs, scoring in each inning from the fourth to the eighth, winning the ballgame, 11-5. Sophomore star shortstop Roch Cholowsky got his first RBI of the series to battle back in the seventh as Levu delivered an RBI swing as well.

With seven games left in the regular season, six of which are in-conference, the Bruins need to finish strong to have any sort of a chance to win the Big Ten title. The Iowa Hawkeyes (32-15, 21-6) are having an unbelievable year, leading the Big Ten standings and likely taking the conference title.

The Bruins will likely drop out of the top 15 this week, making it much tougher for them to earn one of the top 16 national seeds to host a regional playoff. They will be back in action on Tuesday night, facing the Long Beach State Dirtbags on the road.

Give us your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE