UCLA Crushes Arizona 7-1 For 5th Straight Pac-12 Win

Ever since losing consecutive games to Oregon St. in early April, UCLA has been on fire in Pac-12 play and Saturday proved to be no different. The Bruins pounded out 13 hits in a 7-1 shellacking of Arizona for their fifth consecutive win in conference and to clinch their fourth consecutive Pac-12 series win.

Once again, Cody Regis was the star for UCLA, going 4-for-4 with three runs and two RBI a day after driving in six runs. Kevin Kramer and Pat Valaika each had two hits apiece, with Kramer driving in two and Valaika scoring one, while Shane Zeile had two RBI and Pat Gallagher scored two runs as well.

That proved to be plenty for Nick Vander Tuig, who continued his marvelous season to improve to 9-3 on the campaign. The junior allowed just one run on six hits and struck out three to pick up the win, while Davis Berg wrapped things up with three strikeouts in 1.2 scoreless innings to earn his 13th save.

UCLA was first on the scoreboard with a two spot in the second. Regis started things with a one-out single and Gallagher followed with a single of his own before Zeile singled to right, scoring Regis for the opening run of the game. Brian Carroll then added to the lead with a two-out double down the left field line, plating Gallagher to put the Bruins up 2-0.

Regis was back at it again the next inning and once again, the Bruins scored two. Valaika and Kevin Williams each singled to bring up Regis, who smoked a 3-2 pitch to deep center for a two-run double that gave UCLA a 4-0 lead.

Vander Tuig didn't allow a man to reach second until a leadoff double in the fourth and they made it count, bunting him over to third before a single scored a run, but that was all the Wildcats would get. Vander Tuig was too good and he would not let another man get into scoring position the rest of the game.

The Bruins added to their lead again in the sixth and unsurprisingly, Regis was at the heart of it again. The senior led off with a double then took third on a wild pitch so when Zeile lifted a fly ball to center, Regis was able to tag and score easily as UCLA stretched their lead to 5-1.

Krame put a bow on the big Bruins win in the eighth when he singled home a pair of runsto make it a 7-1 game. UCLA dominated from start to finish, just as they have been for a month now in the Pac-12 as they continue to strengthen their regional host bid.