This post was updated March 5 at 8:39 p.m.
The Bruins’ seven errors against Long Beach State last week had coach John Savage seeing ghosts.
“Welcome to the haunted house tonight, buddy,” he said.
For the rest of the weekend, his team’s defense remained cursed.
On Friday, UCLA baseball held a 2-1 lead against Michigan going into the top of the seventh. But as the rain continued to fall, the Bruins drowned.
The Wolverines took a game-winning 4-2 lead behind a dropped third strike after graduate student catcher Quintt Landis couldn’t corral a slider, a triple off the top of the right field wall – just out of the reach of leaping redshirt junior outfielder AJ Salgado’s glove – a throwing error by junior second baseman Duce Gourson, and a second triple that sent sophomore outfielder Payton Brennan backtracking and falling to the ground.
On Sunday, despite Dodger Stadium providing a change in scenery, the seventh inning was the turning point once again.
Junior right-hander Nate Leibold entered with a runner on first and one out.
After allowing a single, a bunt toward freshman third baseman Roman Martin presented an opportunity for the second out. Martin’s throw to first, however, was short and senior infielder Daylen Reyes was unable to make the pick on the other end, loading the bases.
The next Anteater batter, Caden Kendle, launched a grand slam over the wall in left-center – again, just out of Salgado’s reach.
Across their two games in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic, the Bruins took 11 innings of two-run ball from their starting pitchers and ended up with two losses. Adding in Wednesday’s affair with Long Beach State, the Bruins have recorded 12 errors across their last three games.
“I think we’re going to improve defensively quite a bit,” Savage said. “Pitching and defense have always been our trademark – we just haven’t taken care of the baseball enough.”
Against UC Irvine on Sunday, Savage shook up his infield alignment for the first time this season.
Junior Cody Schrier, who’s been UCLA’s starting shortstop since his freshman year, made his first career start at second base, while freshman Roch Cholowsky moved from third base to shortstop.
“There was no conversation,” Cholowsky said. “The lineup was posted and I went to play. Wherever I’m going to be penciled in to play is where I’m going to try to win games.”
Cholowsky, the top-ranked Bruin freshman, recorded two assists and two putouts against the Anteaters.
The position is far from unfamiliar to Cholowsky. Last year, Perfect Game named him the seventh-best shortstop in the class of 2023.
“Cholowsky can clearly handle himself at short,” Savage said.
On the other end, Martin, who made his first start at third base Sunday, has recorded three errors across just two starts this year.
However, Savage said he’s keen on the freshman.
“Martin is going to be a really good player. We have no problem with Martin at third,” Savage said.
Less than a week after their combined 23-run, 12-error game, the Bruins are set for a rematch with the Dirtbags on the road before heading up north to California to start Pac-12 play.
“Things will start clicking,” said sophomore right-hander Michael Barnett. “This team has a lot of high expectations, so I think we’ll turn it around.”
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