UCLA Baseball Falls Twice in Doubleheader; Seeks to Avoid Sweep

Just when you think that things could not get worse for the UCLA Bruin Baseball team (6-11), they do. After Friday night’s game was postponed in the top of the second inning due to fog, Arizona (15-3) exploded for 19 runs against the Bruins, blowing them out of Jackie Robinson Stadium, 19-4, in the first game of the doubleheader. The second game was more of the type of game we have seen from the 2017 Bruins, as UCLA let a 3-0 lead slip away, falling 4-3.

We said in the series preview that Arizona was an offensive juggernaut, and the Wildcats living up to that name in the first game, scoring three in the 3rd, four in the 4th, and five in the fifth. Arizona was only held scoreless in the 1st (played Friday night) and the 8th innings.

Nick Quintana and J.J. Matijevic feasted on UCLA pitching. Quintana went 4 for 7 with a double, a triple, and 4 RBI. Matijevic went 4 for 6, with 3 runs scored and 3 RBI, all of which come on a home run in the 5th.

The Bruins missed Griffin Canning, who started the game on Friday, but did not return to pitch on Saturday. Brian Gadsby was terrible, taking over for Canning on Saturday, and giving up seven earned runs on 11 hits in 2 innings. The rest of the bullpen was also bad with three pitchers allowing 11 runs in 5.2 innings.

Game two of the twin bill started off well for UCLA, as the Bruins took a 3-0 lead with a run in the 1st on a sac fly and two in the 2nd on the strength of three doubles.

Moises Ceja pitched great for five innings, allowing only two singles, but it was the sixth that did him in, allowing back-to-back doubles. Justin Hooper came in and poured fuel on the fire, recording no outs and giving up another double, cutting UCLA’s lead to 3-2. Hooper was replaced by Matt Walker, who allowed a game tying single before recording a strikeout to end the inning.

Neither team could manage a run in the 7th or 8th innings (UCLA had runners on second base with one out in both innings and could not manage to get either home) and Scott Burke came on for UCLA to pitch the 9th. With two outs, Burke allowed a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases. On a slow grounder to shortstop, Nick Valaika’s throw pulled Sean Bouchard’s foot off the bag. E-5. 4-3 Arizona. UCLA could not manage a run in the bottom of the 9th.

UCLA will try to avoid the series sweep and pull out of its 6 game losing streak today at Jackie Robinson Stadium. First pitch is at 2 p.m. PT. Jon Olson will take the mound for the Bruins as UCLA tries to right the ship after losing the first three games of its eight game home stand. Arizona’s starter is listed as TBA.

The game is televised on the PAC 12 Network, John Ramey and Tim Wilhelm have the call via online streaming audio, and you can follow along with live stats.

This is your UCLA Bruin baseball versus Arizona Wildcats game three open thread.

Go Bruins!