#16 UCLA Baseball Visits CSUN After Losing to Southern Cal Sunday

Yesterday’s rain may have pushed this week’s midweek baseball game back a day, but the Bruins and the Matadors will be ready to play this afternoon in Northridge despite the fact that it is overcast in the San Fernando Valley today.

The Bruins were 1-2 last week, with a win against LMU and a pair of losses to Vanderbilt on Friday and a tough 3-2 loss to Southern Cal on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. UCLA fell from #11 to #16 in this week’s poll as a result.

UCLA starter Jon Olsen left the game in the first inning after being hit by a line drive by just the second batter of the inning, but usual Sunday starter Zach Pettway pitched 6-1/3 innings of solid relief, allowing two runs on just two hits while striking out seven.

The Bruins led for most of the game after scoring first in the top of the third inning. Ryan Kreidler walked to lead of the inning and he advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Will McInerny. He then stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jeremy Ydens.

Southern Cal’s Dillon Paulson tied it up in the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot to right off Pettway, but the Bruins took the lead back again in the top of the fifth when Michael Toglia drew a bases loaded walk that scored Kreidler again and UCLA led 2-1.

That’s how things stood until the bottom of the seventh when Blake Sabol tripled down the right field line and then scored on a fielder’s choice to tie the game for Southern Cal. That was all for Pettway as John Savage went to his bullpen for the final two outs of the inning.

It was in the bottom of the eighth that Southern Cal delivered UCLA’s deathblow when Garrett Barker gave up a solo home run to right by Lars Nootbaar.

In the top of the ninth, the Bruins had the tying runner on third and the go-ahead runner on first with two outs, but Chase Strumpf struck out looking to end the game.

This afternoon, the Bruins and Matadors should be able to get today’s game in despite the clouds in the Valley because the weather forecast is predicting a 0% chance of rain until 6 pm.

So, while you’re working in your office this afternoon, tune in to the Bruins’ game and enjoy Ross Porter’s call of this afternoon’s game.

This is your UCLA Bruins vs. Cal State Northridge afternoon baseball open thread.


Go Bruins!!!