UCLA Baseball Looks to Take Series from Cal Poly After Wild Win, 13-12
The Bruins came back from a rough first inning to win last night's game.
The Bruins got back to their winning ways last night when they beat Cal Poly, 13-12. The teams meet for the rubber game of the weekend series this afternoon at 1 pm PT. Today’s game won’t be televised, but it will be live streamed again.
Last Time Out
Last night’s final score more closely resembled a football score than a baseball score and the scoring started in the bottom of the first.
UCLA starter Jesse Bergin gave up a pair of one-out doubles which resulted in the Mustangs taking a 1-0. With two outs and runners on first and second, a fielding error by Bruin first baseman JT Schwarz loaded the bases. A single scored two unearned runs while a double score two more, which were also unearned. This left the Bruins down five after just an inning of play.
But UCLA got most of those back in the top of the second. Michael Curialle led off with a single while an error allowed Mikey Perez to reach base, giving the Bruins runners on first and second with no outs. Carson Yates singled to score Curialle and advance Perez to second. Noah Cardenas came to the plate next and he took a one-strike pitch over the left field wall for a three-run homer, closing Cal Poly’s lead to 5-4 after an inning and a half.
Schwartz began the third inning with a single and that sent Cal Poly to the bullpen, but it didn’t help much. Curialle walked to give UCLA a pair of runners with no outs. Perez hit the Bruins’ second three-run homer in as many innings as they took a 7-5 lead. With the bases now cleared, Yates singled and Cardenas reached on an error. Kyle Karros laid down a sacrifice bunt to third to advance the runners and a single by Kevin Kendall increased UCLA’s lead to 9-5 by scoring both Yates and Cardenas.
In the top of the fourth, Schwartz, Perez and Cardenas all drew walks to load the bases and Cardenas hit a two-RBI double down the right field line, scoring Schwartz and Perez, giving the Bruins an 11-5 lead.
Perez hit his second homer of the game in the sixth. This time, it was a solo shot to left and UCLA extended the lead to 12-5.
In the bottom half of the inning, Bergin gave up a single to lead off the inning and John Savage went to the bullpen. Jake Saum came in and gave up a pair of singles and a double, resulting in three Cal Poly runs. One of those runs was charged to Bergin from the single he gave up. That would be all for Saum as Savage turned to Michael Townsend. Townsend gave up a single that scored another run, which was charged to Saum. While he was able to get the Bruins out of the inning, the Mustangs did get one more run across and, just like that, UCLA’s lead was down to two, 12-10.
The Bruins added an insurance run in the top of the ninth and it was a good thing because they would end up needing it. Kyle Karros reached on an error and Kendall followed with a single. A wild pitch to Jarron Silva moved Karros and Kendall up, but it didn’t matter as Silva walked on four pitches to load the bases. Matt McLain’s sacrifice fly to center managed to score Karros and UCLA went into the bottom of the ninth with a 13-10 lead.
Savage turned to Sean Mullen to pitch the ninth for the Bruins. He gave up three singles which resulted in a run and gave Cal Poly runners on the corners with two outs. A wild pitch from Mullen scored the runner from third, but he got the batter to hit a grounder to second for the final out of the game.
Bergin picked up his third win of the season while Mullen got his second save of the year, even if it was a little rocky.
This afternoon, the Bruins will look to win the series when the teams conclude the series. “Nasty Nick” Nastrini will be on the hill for the Bruins while Cal Poly will send junior southpaw Andrew Alvarez to the mound.
#6 UCLA Baseball (10-4)
Opponent: Cal Poly Mustangs (7-5)
Game Time: 1:00 pm PT, Sunday, March 14, 2021
Where: Baggett Stadium, San Luis Obispo, CA
Projected Pitching Matchup:
UCLA - Nick Nastrini, RHP, Jr. (2-0, 1.53 ERA)
CP - Andrew Alvarez, LHP, Jr. (2-0, 2.77 ERA)
Media:
Live TV/Audio: uclabruins.com with Tim Wilhelm
Live Stream: BigWest.org
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Game Notes:
UCLA
This is your UCLA baseball at Cal Poly Mustangs game three open thread.
Go Bruins!
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Bruins lose game, 8-5, and drop series.
8-4. T9. Bruins down to last three outs.