UCLA Baseball Swept By Texas; Hosts UC Irvine Tonight

UCLA Baseball returns home tonight as the Bruins look to rebound after being swept this weekend by the Texas Longhorns to fall to 6-8 on the year.

In most games this year, the Bruins have struggled to score enough runs to win. That wasn’t really the case on Sunday as UCLA managed nine hits and six walks. Sure, they left eight men on base, but five runs would have been sufficient to win in four of their eight losses so far this season.

As a result, Sunday’s loss falls on the pitching staff.

Starter Jon Olsen gave up two runs in the bottom of the first to put the Bruins behind 2-0. But, UCLA got those runs right back in the top of the second on a double by Daniel Amaral and Will McInerny’s sacrifice fly. Olsen gave up a third run in the bottom half of the second and the Bruins were again trailing.

The Bruins used three hits and a throwing error to score two runs in the top of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead, but, again, Texas took the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Olsen hit the first batter and walked Kacy Clemens. A fielding error by Chase Strumpf tied the game for Texas and that was all for Olsen. Kyle Mora came in from the pen but gave up a single that scored Clemens to give the Longhorns the 5-4 lead.

Matt Walker came into the game to pitch the sixth inning for UCLA. While he only faced four batters in a third of an inning of work, three of the four he faced would score for Texas. Scott Burke gave up another run to make it a four-run sixth inning for the Longhorns.

The Bruins started to rally in the seventh inning, but they could only get one run home and wound up leaving two men on base. Texas would add an insurance run in the eighth and the final score was 10-5.

Texas starter Blair Henry (2-1) earned the win while Olsen took the loss for UCLA.

Tonight, the Bruins host the first game of a home-and-home series against UC Irvine. Sophomore lefty Justin Hooper (0-0, 4.30 ERA) will take the hill for UCLA against sophomore righthander Jordan Bocko (0-1, 6.28 ERA) for the Anteaters. Game time is 6 pm.

There’s no television for tonight’s game but as usual tonight’s game can be heard live online with John Ramey and Tim Wilhelm on the call. Of course, live stats of tonight’s game are also available.


Go Bruins!!!