The second day of the 2025 Big Ten Tournament at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, featured wins from UCLA and Penn State, while Iowa held off a late Rutgers rally to stay unbeaten in Pool C.
This year’s tournament is the second to use a 12-team, pool-play format. The field is split into four pools of three teams each. Only the winner of each pool will advance to the semifinals on May 24. The championship game will be played Sunday, May 25.
The tournament is being broadcast on Big Ten Network and the Fox Sports App. Oregon and UCLA shared the Big Ten regular-season title, with Oregon earning the No. 1 seed via tiebreaker. Nebraska won the tournament last year.
Iowa, UCLA, Penn State Win On Second Day Of Big Ten Tournament Pool Play
The second day of the 2025 Big Ten Tournament at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, featured victories from UCLA and Penn State, while the University of Iowa Hawkeyes fended off the Rutgers University Scarlet Knights in a close finish to remain unbeaten in Pool C.
This year’s tournament features 12 teams and uses a pool-play format, with the field divided into four pools of three teams each. The winner of each pool advances to the semifinals on May 24. The championship game will be played Sunday, May 25.
All games are televised on Big Ten Network and the Fox Sports App. The University of Oregon and UCLA shared the Big Ten regular-season title, with Oregon earning the No. 1 seed via tiebreaker. The University of Nebraska won last year’s tournament.
Game 4 – No. 2 UCLA 8, No. 11 Illinois 6 – Pool B
The University of California, Los Angeles Bruins opened their tournament with an 8-6 win over the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. The Bruins used a five-run third inning to take early control, highlighted by a two-RBI double from center fielder Brady Brennan and a run-scoring walk by right fielder Chris Salgado.
Illinois designated hitter Drake Westcott homered and drove in a pair of runs, and second baseman Branden Quagliano collected two hits and two RBI for the Illini, who scored in five different innings but were undone by a shaky third frame and missed opportunities late.
UCLA’s Mike O’Connor earned the win in relief, and Cody Hawk recorded the save. Bruins shortstop Roch Cholowsky homered in the eighth to give UCLA breathing room. The Bruins improved to 40-15 and will face the University of Michigan on Thursday.
Game 5 – No. 9 Penn State 5, No. 5 Washington 3 – Pool D
The Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions scored four runs across the sixth and seventh innings and held off a late surge to defeat the University of Washington Huskies 5-3.
Starter Ryan DeSanto threw 5.2 scoreless innings before the bullpen carried Penn State the rest of the way. The Lions broke open the game with a two-run sac fly from third baseman Brenden Molinaro, followed by a solo home run from shortstop Sean Weingartner. Right fielder Carlos Mercado chipped in with an RBI single in the seventh.
Washington left fielder Alberto Guerrero was responsible for all three Husky runs, including a two-run homer in the eighth. The Huskies out-hit Penn State 8-6 but stranded nine runners.
Penn State moved to 32-22 and will face the University of Southern California on Thursday in Pool D.
Game 6 – No. 3 Iowa 4, No. 10 Rutgers 3 – Pool C
The University of Iowa Hawkeyes held off a late ninth-inning charge to defeat the Rutgers University Scarlet Knights 4-3 and move to 33-20-1.
Iowa left-hander Cade Obermueller was electric, tossing seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts and allowing only four hits. The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on RBI singles from second baseman Sam Wulf, center fielder Ben Risley, and right fielder Brayden Strohmeyer. Risley added another RBI single in the fourth.