UCLA Baseball Destroys Arizona State, 21-9; Seeks Series Win Tonight

Every player in the Bruin starting lineup recorded at least one hit last night in the desert.

Kyle Cuellar led a potent hitting attack for UCLA last night in Phoenix, going 3 for 5, with three RBI and two runs scored. (Photo Credit: Don Liebig/uclabruins.com)

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Twenty-one to nine. No, that is not the score of a football game, although it looks like one. The UCLA baseball team (33-18, 16-12) pounded the Arizona State Sun Devils (32-18, 16-12) by the score of 21-9 last night in Phoenix. Both teams are virtual locks for the NCAA postseason and, although neither will host, each would like to go into next week’s regionals on a bit of a streak.

Today, UCLA will seek the series win while Arizona State will try to even the series. First pitch is at 6:00 pm PT.

Last Time Out

UCLA got on the board quickly in the first inning last night when JT Schwartz doubled home Michael Curialle and Matt McLain, the latter of whom returned from a ten-game absence due to injury. Schwartz’s double was immediately followed by a Kyle Cuellar three-run home run to right center field. UCLA led 4-0 after one inning.

After a scoreless second inning, the Bruins would plate three more runs in the third on a McLain double, a Schwartz single, a hit-by-pitch, an error, and a wild pitch. The Bruins now led 7-0.

The Bruins would make it 11-0 in the fourth inning when Kyle Karros roped a double down the left field line, scoring McLain and Curialle. Mikey Perez followed that with a two-run home run to left.

ASU got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth on back-to-back home runs off of UCLA starter Zach Pettway, the first of which was a two-run shot. UCLA still led 11-3.

The Bruins would score a breadstick in the fifth on a weird double play where the runner on third advanced home before the second out of the double play, which would be the final out of the inning, was recorded with a tag out. That made it 12-3, Bruins.

Both teams would score in the sixth inning, but UCLA would put up a three-spot while the Sun Devils would only get one run. UCLA’s big hits were a Noah Cardenas two-run double and an RBI single for Curialle. ASU got to reliever Kyle Mora for a run on two singles and a wild pitch. The score was now 15-4.

The Bruins sent nine batters to the dish in the seventh inning and plated five more runs. A Jon Jon Vaughns double in the left-center gap drove in two of those runs. UCLA would score its final run in the eighth inning on two walks and an error, making the score 21-4.

Arizona State would post a five-spot in the bottom of the ninth inning, to make the game seem a little closer than it really was.

Pettway had his best outing in the last few weeks, throwing five innings and allowing three runs on three hits. The bullpen was not great. Although Mora only allowed a run in two innings, Charles Harrison and Jake Brooks were responsible for the five runs in the ninth inning.

The Bruins collected 18 hits on the night and were helped by four Sun Devil errors, nine walks, and three batters who were hit by a pitch.

Tonight, UCLA will send junior righty Sean Mullen (9-1, 2.86 ERA) to the mound to try to earn the series win. Mullen will look to rebound from a tough outing last week. The Sun Devils will counter with junior lefthander Justin Fall (7-2, 3.78 ERA).

UCLA Baseball (33-18, 16-12)

Opponent: Arizona State Sun Devils (32-18, 16-12)
Game Time: 6:00 pm PT, Friday, May 28, 2021
Where: Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Phoenix, AZ
Live TV: Pac-12 Los Angeles and Arizona
Audio: uclabruins.com with Tim Wilhelm
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Live Stream: Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app

Probable Pitchers:
UCLA - Sean Mullen, RHP, Jr. (9-1, 2.86 ERA)
ASU - Justin Fall, LHP, RJr. (7-2, 3.78 ERA)

Weekend Notes:
UCLA
Arizona State

This is your UCLA baseball vs. Arizona State game two open thread.


Go Bruins!!!

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