Offense Stalls in Weekend Finale

Sunday, March 23

Los Angeles, Calif.

4:00 PM

Indiana University

13-11, 5-4

UCLA

18-5, 7-2

Indiana

UCLA

3/23/2025 7:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

LOS ANGELES – Against a potent UCLA pitching staff, the Indiana Baseball team (13-11, 5-4 B1G) couldn't muster any offense in Sunday's (March 23) rubber match at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Hoosiers recorded just three runs and six hits in a 6-3 loss to UCLA.

Senior southpaw Deron Swanson (L, 1-1) struggled with early command, allowing two runs before getting pulled with the bases loaded in the first inning. Redshirt senior Gavin Seebold came on in relief and was fantastic across 4.1 innings of action. He allowed just one run (unearned) and four hits. Junior lefty Anthony Gubitosi tossed two scoreless frames as IU kept UCLA off the board in five-straight full innings.

The Bruins struck back for three runs in the eighth after freshman first baseman Jake Hanley closed the deficit to just one with a RBI single through the right side. Junior shortstop Tyler Cerny hit a solo home run to lead off the ninth but UCLA closer Justin Lee retired the next three Hoosiers in order.

IU won in convincing fashion on Friday evening but leaves Los Angeles without the series victory. After a midweek contest with Bellarmine on Tuesday (March 25), the Hoosiers will welcome the other Los Angeles baseball school, USC, for a three-game set at Bart Kaufman Field (March 28-30).

Scoring Recap
Bottom First
IU starter Deron Swanson got into some early trouble and allowed the home team to score a pair of runs. Mulivai Levu continued his outstanding weekend with a RBI single over the third baseman's head. With the bases loaded, and Gavin Seebold on in relief, UCLA got an infield single from Payton Brennan to extend the lead to 2-0.
UCLA 2, Indiana 0

Bottom Second
UCLA got another run courtesy of IU mistakes. A pop fly in between the first baseman Jake Hanley and right fielder Andrew Wiggins dropped in no-man's land. The rushed throw from second baseman Jasen Oliver went wide of the bag and allowed both runners to advance further. A sacrifice fly moved the lead to 3-0.
UCLA 3, Indiana 0

Top Fourth
The Hoosiers finally cracked the scoreboard in the fourth. Hanley and Jake Stadler each recorded hits before Tyler Cerny's pop fly dropped for a fielder's choice. That allowed Hanley to score IU's first run of the game.
UCLA 3, Indiana 1

Top Eighth
Hanley got one back for the Hoosiers in the eighth with a single through the right side. IU threatened for more but popped out to the shortstop with two runners on.
UCLA 3, Indiana 2

Bottom Eighth
After a triple and an intentional walk, Roman Martin smoked a single passed the shortstop to score a pair of insurance runs. Jarrod Hocking drove in another on a sacrifice fly.
UCLA 6, Indiana 2

Top Ninth
Cerny hit a solo home run in the ninth inning.
UCLA 6, Indiana 3

Top Hoosier Performers
#34 Hanley, Jake
2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI

#8 Cerny, Tyler
2-4, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 R

#40 Seebold, Gavin
4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 K

Inside the Box Score
• IU held UCLA scoreless from the third through seventh innings.
• The Hoosiers never put up a crooked number, scoring once in three different frames.
• Tyler Cerny's ninth-inning home run ensured IU has hit a home run seven-straight games.
• IU only had five strikeouts in the batter's box.

Notes to Know
• The Indiana pitching staff has gone 10-straight games without allowing more than seven earned runs. However, in that time, the Hoosiers are just 7-3. The defense for IU this season has allowed for 18 unearned runs including three in the series with UCLA.

• Freshman first baseman Jake Hanley moved into a tie for the team lead in hits (37) on Sunday afternoon. He recorded his 11th multi-hit effort of the season and drove in another run with his eighth-inning single. He hit .417 (5-12) in the UCLA series with one home run and two RBIs.

• Junior shortstop Tyler Cerny has slowly started to get it going at the plate in his third year with the Hoosiers. Over the past five games, he's hitting .389 (7-18) with two home runs, three doubles, four RBIs and seven runs scored.

• After Sunday's defeat in Los Angeles, IU has lost three of its last four Big Ten rubber matches. In two of those occurrences (Nebraska – 2024, UCLA – 2025), the Hoosiers had won the opening contest of the weekend and proceeded to lose the next two.

• IU allowed just 14 runs in three games of the Big Ten set with UCLA. Dating back to last season, IU has allowed 15-or-fewer runs in six of the last seven Big Ten series (all three-game sets). The last time that the Hoosiers lost a conference series when allowing just 14 runs came last year at Nebraska (May 10-12, 2024).

Up Next
IU's next nine games are scheduled to be played in the confines of Bart Kaufman Field. That run of home games begins on Tuesday (March 25) evening against Bellarmine. It will be streamed on B1G+ while Austin Render will have the call on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.