:: COLLEGE BASEBALL

UCLA uses a combination of sacrifice flies, a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball to get back to Omaha.

UCLA 4 TEXAS CHRISTIAN 1

For a program that once went 28 years and 13 years between trips to the College World Series, Omaha is starting to become a habit for UCLA.

The Bruins, seeded second nationally, advanced to the World Series for the second time in three years Saturday by defeating Texas Christian, 4-1, to complete a sweep of an NCAA super regional at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

“It never gets old,” said Coach John Savage, who has built a power in his eight seasons with UCLA.

UCLA (47-14), with no seniors on its roster, swept through a regional and the super regional and will take a nine-game winning streak to Omaha.

The eight-team World Series starts Friday at TD Ameritrade Park. The Bruins, seeking their first NCAA baseball title, will be making their fourth World Series appearance. In 2010, the Bruins advanced to the championship series but lost to South Carolina.

“To come out of the West, I’ve always said, is the most difficult thing in college baseball to do,” Savage said. “This team has found their way.”

TCU found out that it’s difficult to win any game, let alone one on the road against the Bruins, with solo home runs. The Horned Frogs hit two Friday night and lost, 6-2. They hit another Saturday, but that wasn’t enough to beat a UCLA team that utilized two sacrifice fly balls, a sacrifice bunt and a passed ball to close out the series.

“We’re not a power-hitting team,” sophomore shortstop Pat Valaika said. “Our game plan is to grind pitchers down: Grind for nine.”

The Bruins combined that offensive approach with solid defensive play, picking off and throwing out would-be base-stealers and turning a timely double play.

“That’s what Omaha clubs do,” TCU Coach Jim Schlossnagle said, “and that’s why they’re headed there.”

Despite losing first-round draft picks Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer, the Bruins are returning to the World Series with outstanding pitching.

Nick Vander Tuig (10-3), who gave up only one hit in eight innings and struck out a career-high 11 in a regional victory against New Mexico last week, had another outstanding performance Saturday.

The sophomore from Oakdale, Calif., gave up one run, five hits and walked one in six-plus innings before David Berg replaced him with a runner on first base. Berg, making his 47th appearance this season, pitched the final three innings.

UCLA, the visiting team, took the lead in the second inning when Trevor Brown hit a triple down the right-field line and then scored on Valaika’s fly ball to right field.

The Bruins increased their lead in the third, Kevin Kramer leading off with a single, moving to third on Beau Amaral’s single and scoring on Tyler Heineman’s safety squeeze.

TCU pulled to within a run in the bottom half of the inning when Brance Rivera hit a ball over the left-field fence for a homer.

But Vander Tuig and Berg shut down the Horned Frogs the rest of the way.