UCLA Baseball Looks for Another Win as Series Heads to Irvine
The Bruins beat the Anteaters last night, 4-3, on a walk-off walk in the bottom of the ninth.
This afternoon, the UCLA baseball team will travel down to Orange County to play their first road game of the season when they play the UC Irvine Anteaters in the middle game of this weekend’s three-game series. First pitch is schedule for 1 pm PT. While the game won’t be televised, it will be streamed.
Last Time Out
The Bruins hosted the opening game of the series last night. UC Irvine scored a run in the top of the first, but UCLA came back to tie in the bottom of the second.
Josh Hahn drew a one-out walk while Michael Curialle and Jarron Silva followed with a pair of singles. Hahn was able to score on Silva’s hit to tie the game.
In the fourth, Jared Karros gave up a pair of runs on a walk and pair of singles to give UC Irvine a 3-1 lead.
The game stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh. Silva drew a one-out walk to start the Bruin rally. Mikey Perez hit a single down the right field line that moved Silva over to third. UCLA pulled off a double steal which scored Silva and left Perez standing at second and, while Kyle Karros grounded out, he was able to move Perez over to third. Kevin Kendall brought Perez home to tie the game on a chopper towards first which was fielded by UCI pitcher Jacob King. Kendall beat out King’s throw and Perez scored to tie it up.
Following a scoreless eighth, the teams went into the ninth with it still tied, 3-3. John Savage turned to Kyle Mora to hold UCI’s offense. Mora had another 1-2-3 ninth to shut door and give the Bruins a chance to walk this one off.
Perez started this UCLA rally with a one-out double down the left field line and he moved up to third on a Kyle Karros single. UCI opted to intentionally walk Kendall to load the bases, bringing up Jack Filby. UCI reliever Josh Ibarra walked Filby on four pitches, but with no place to put him, Perez crossed home for the winning run on a walk-off walk.
Today’s Game
Last weekend, John Savage turned to Jesse Bergin after the Bruins lost the season opener to USF. Bergin’s performance was spectacular. He threw 6-2/3 scoreless innings and he allowed just one hit and one walk to the Dons.
After last night’s close game, Savage is hoping for another game like last week from Bergin. That’s because UCI will send junior Peter Van Loon to the hill this afternoon and, like Bergin, Van Loon is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA. Van Loon gave up just three hits and two walks last weekend against Washington.
So, today’s game looks to be a pitcher’s dual. The team that goes to the bullpen first will likely be the loser. It looks like that will be UC Irvine, but you never know this early in the season.
This is your UCLA at UCI game two open thread.
#14 UCLA Baseball (3-2)
Opponent:Â UC Irvine Anteaters (3-1)
Game Time:Â 1:00 pm PT, Saturday, February 27, 2021
Where:Â Anteater Ballpark, Irvine, CA
Projected Pitching Matchup:
UCI - Peter Van Loon, RHP, Jr. (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
UCLA -Â Jesse Bergin, RHP, Jr. (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Media:
Live Audio:Â uclabruins.com with Tim Wilhelm
Live Stream:Â BigWest.org
Live Stats:Â UCI Side Arm Stats
This is your UCLA vs. UCI game one open thread.
Go Bruins!
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Thank God gymnastics won, because it otherwise has not been a good day at the office for UCLA athletics. Men's soccer came from ahead to lose 2-1 and baseball is getting shellacked, 7-2 through seven innings.
Jesse Bergin was far from his great form last weekend, giving up four runs in the first inning today, and seven total runs in 3 innings pitched (three earned). On the other side of the ledger, UCLA has only recorded three hits. They have seven walks, but have had a lack of clutch hitting, stranding eight runners.
The bats are silent.