Walk-off HR lifts No. 8 UCLA past Cal

LOS ANGELES -- A two-run single by Brittany Moeai gave eighth-ranked UCLA the lead in the sixth, while a walk-off, two-run homer by Delaney Spaulding finished a 5-3 Bruins victory against No. 18 California on Saturday at Easton Stadium.

The Bruins improve to 37-8 overall and 11-3 in Pac-12 play, while the Golden Bears fall to 32-11 and 5-9 in league action.

The Bruins had 10 hits, with Allexis Bennett going 3-for-3, Moeai posting a pair of hits and an RBI and Kylee Perez recording two singles.

In the circle, Ally Carda won her 20th game of the season (20-4), striking out nine in the complete game, allowing three runs, four walks and 11 hits. While she didn’t have a 1-2-3 inning, Carda did fan two apiece in the first, second, fourth and seventh.

California scored first with a tally in the second, as Kobie Pettis led off the frame with a homer down the right field line. The Golden Bears added another run in the fourth, as Britt Vonk led off with a single and scored two batters later on a single by Vanessa Alvarez to make it 2-0.

In the fifth, after Cal left the bases loaded in its half, UCLA cut its deficit in half. Moeai led off with a single to right and was pinch-run for by Tara Mueller, who scored one out later on a double to right by Maurice to make it 2-1.

Moeai came through with a base knock in the sixth to give the Bruins the lead. Perez led off with a single to right center field and Carda singled up the middle, as both moved over on a bunt by Stephany LaRosa. Moeai then slapped a 3-2 pitch up the middle to score Perez and Carda to give the Bruins the 3-2 edge.

The Golden Bears rallied with the game-tying run in the seventh. Jazmyn Jackson and Cheyenne Cordes walked, and one out later Pettis singled up the middle to plate Jackson and even the score.

In the Bruins’ half of the seventh, Bennett laced a triple down the left field line with one out and came home when Spaulding hit the second pitch she saw over the wall in center to give UCLA the win. It was Spaulding’s ninth homer of the season to tie for the team lead.