UCLA Baseball Loses to TCU, 8-4; Head Across Town to Play Southern Cal Next

This afternoon, the UCLA baseball team completes their weekend non-conference games with a non-conference game against crosstown rival Southern Cal in the final game of the 2020 Southern California College Baseball Classic. First pitch is set for 3 pm PT and today’s game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Networks Los Angeles.

Last Time Out

The Bruins lost just their second game of the season yesterday when they lost to TCU, 8-4.

Bruin starter Nick Nastrini had a terrible first inning in which he gave up three earned runs and the Bruins were not really able to recover from that.

Nastrini gave up a single to leadoff batter Sam Thompson and Thompson advanced on a throwing error by Nastrini and a wild pitch. Zach Humphreys then singled him home. Meanwhile, Humphreys stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Bruin catcher Noah Cardenas. TCU first baseman Gene Wood walked and stole second. Gray Rodgers followed and picked up an RBI single which gave the Horned Frogs runners on the corners. Conner Shepherd singled home Wood before Nastrini got the final two outs of the inning, but TCU lead 3-0 before the Bruins ever got to bat.

In the top of the second, Thompson tripled and, later, scored on a sacrifice fly by Humphreys which made it 4-0, TCU.

That caused John Savage to turn to the bullpen to start the third inning. Freshman Jake Saum came in and threw two scoreless innings.

UCLA narrowed the gap in the bottom of the fourth. After Jake Moberg grounded out, Kyle Cuellar and Mikey Perez both singled to give the Bruins runners on the corners. With two outs, Noah Cardenas singled to score Cuellar and Garrett Mitchell tripled to right to clear the bases. After four, TCU led 4-3.

Jared Karros took to the hill for the fifth and he walked Humpreys and gave up a homer to Wood, giving the Horned Frogs a 6-3 lead UCLA wasn’t able to come back from. Daniel Colwell came in for Karros, but the result was no better as Colwell also gave up a two-run homer to put TCU up 8-3.

In the bottom of the fifth, Matt McLain led off with a walk and JT Schwartz followed with a single that advanced McLain to third. McLain scored when Moberg hit into a double play which made it 8-4.

The Bruins weren’t able to get any more runs across and they left a total of four runners on base in the sixth and the ninth innings.

Nastini took the loss for the Bruins.

Today’s Game

The Bruins will look to bounce back when they head across town today to face Southern Cal in their final weekend non-conference game of the season.

Jesse Bergin, who has been superb so far this season, will start for UCLA while lefty Alex Cornwell will be on the hill for the Trojans.

I fully expect UCLA to bounce back from yesterday’s loss with a strong pitching effort today from Bergin and the bullpen.


Go Bruins!!