UCLA, the nation’s top-ranked baseball team with the No. 1 prospect, put everyone on notice this past weekend.

The Bruins capped a sweep over three different top-25 programs in as many days with a dramatic 8-7 win over No. 4 Mississippi State in 11 innings at the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series in Arlington, Texas.

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UCLA (9-2) blew an early lead and trailed 5-3 entering the ninth. Down to their final out, shortstop and projected top draft pick Roch Cholowsky belted a first-pitch, two-run home run off relief pitcher Ben Davis to send the game into extra innings at Globe Life Field.

The Bruins then scored three runs in the 10th highlighted by a two-run triple from pinch-hitter Aidan Espinoza against reliever Chris Billingsley Jr. to pull in front 8-5.

UCLA reliever Easton Hawk picked up the victory after tossing 2 1/3 innings and surviving a two-run homer from Mississippi State cleanup hitter Reed Stallman with nobody out in the 10th.

Hawk recovered to strike out the next two batters and preserved the win by getting Jacob Parker to line out to third for the final out. Hawk allowed two runs on five hits, struck out four, walked one and hit a batter.

Bruins stay hot

UCLA improved to 6-0 over ranked opponents, including wins over No. 20 Tennessee and No. 23 Texas A&M in the previous two days of the tournament. The Bruins topped the Volunteers 12-5 in the opener before an 11-1 run-rule victory over the Aggies in seven innings.

Center fielder Will Gasparino was named Most Outstanding Player after going 5-for-11 with four homers and seven RBIs over the three games.

Earlier this season, UCLA also swept a three-game home series over then-No. 7 Texas Christian.

Top early performers

Gasparino leads the team in homers (10), RBIs (22), total bases (47), on-base (.521) and slugging % (1.270) despite hitting out of the No. 8 spot in the order. He trails only first baseman Mulivai Levu (.391) in hitting with a .378 average.

Cholowsky’s presence in the No. 2 spot trails only Gasparino in most offensive categories and has produced seven homers and 15 RBIs. In the field, Cholowsky has yet to make an error with 32 defensive assists and turned four double plays.

On the mound, UCLA has a collective 3.99 ERA led by senior right-handed starter Michael Barnett and sophomore reliever Wylan Moss.

Barnett is 3-0 in as many starts with a 1.80 ERA and a .128 opponent batting average over 15 innings. Moss has a team-leading 0.90 ERA with 16 strikeouts and just one walk over 10 innings in his four appearances. Moss struck out a career-high 10 batters in four innings against TCU on Feb. 21.

Upcoming week

The Bruins are back home at Jackie Robinson Stadium briefly for a Tuesday night contest against Cal State Fullerton.

UCLA will then open Big Ten play with a three-game set at Ohio State beginning Friday.