The No. 16 Sooners rallied past the UCLA Bruins 7-6 by scoring four eighth inning runs in game two of a three-game set.

The starting pitchers – sophomore Antwonie Hubbard for OU (11-3) and junior Charles Brewer for UCLA (2-9) – had strong outings and allowed a total of seven hits and struck out 15. Neither pitcher received a decision for the game.

Both teams’ bullpens struggled in the late innings as they sent e ight pitchers to the mound who allowed nine runs on nine hits.

The Sooners started the day’s scoring as they struck for two runs in the second inning that started with an end of the bat RBI single by freshman first baseman Cameron Seitzer. He moved to third on a double by senior designated hitter J.T. Wise and was plated after freshman right fielder Chris Ellison laid down a successful suicide squeeze.

UCLA narrowed the gap in the sixth when junior left fielder Justin Uribe hit a pinch-hit double off the right center wall to bring in the runner from first.

Hubbard’s day ended after giving up one run on two hits during his six innings of work. He threw 104 pitches – 54 strikes and 50 balls – while striking out seven and walking four.

The Sooners gave themselves a two-run cushion in the bottom half of the seventh when Wise drove in a run on a line drive single over the third baseman’s head.

The two-run lead did not last long though as the OU bullpen’s woes continued by allowing five runs in the top of the eighth to give the Bruins the temporary lead. The Sooners went through four pitchers in the inning as UCLA hit around its lineup.

The Sooners would not go quietly into the night as they fought back and brought in four runs in the bottom of the eighth. J unior catcher Aaron Baker unloaded the bases with a two-run double before freshman third baseman Garrett Buechele singled in the game tying and winnings runs.

“I knew I needed to lift the ball and I knew he was going to come out and throw a fastball first pitch,” Buechele said. “I got the pitch and I drove it to left.”

Buechele was one of three OU hitters to record two hits against Bruins pitching Saturday as he went 2-3 with a double and 2 RBIs.

“We went with Buechele right there and stayed with him just because he’s really a tough kid,” head coach Sunny Golloway said. “He matched up really well with [UCLA’s] young hard-thrower and was able to get a pitch he could turn on. Needless to say it was really big.”

Sophomore relief pitcher Ryan Duke came in the ninth and closed out the game on 14 pitches, eight of which were strikes. The save was his second in as many days.

Saturday’s victory was the second win of the weekend that the Sooners had to come from behind. They trailed by three runs in the eighth today and trailed by two in the sixth Friday before coming to take the lead for good.

“We’ve got a crew of fighters that’ll never give up,” Buechele said. “The coaches have implanted in us that we=2 0need to go ahead and keep fighting until the end of the game.”

The Sooners will go for the series sweep Sunday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.