UCLA
Arizona
No. 23 UCLA Baseball Edged by No. 20 Arizona, 5-4
April 15, 2011 | Baseball
April 15, 2011
Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) 
2011 Media Guide (Viewable) | 2011 Media Guide (PDF)
LOS ANGELES - The No. 23 UCLA baseball team lost to No. 20 Arizona, 5-4, in a series-opening Pac-10 game at Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday night. Right-hander Gerrit Cole struck out 11 batters with no walks in eight innings, allowing five runs and nine hits.
Cole (4-3) was charged with the loss, surrendering two runs in the third inning and three in the fifth.
Arizona right-hander Kurt Heyer (6-1) earned the victory, limiting UCLA (17-12, 7-3) to four runs and six hits through 7.1 innings. Heyer struck out six batters and issued three walks. Arizona left-hander Matt Chaffee notched his team-leading fourth save, striking out four batters in 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.
Jeff Gelalich went 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI to lead the Bruins at the plate.
Arizona (23-11, 5-5) received two hits from Cole Frenzel (2-for-4, one RBI), Seth Mejias-Brean (2-for-4, one run) and Bryce Ortega (2-for-4, two runs) and a game-high four RBI from Joey Rickard (1-for-4, one home run).
In a closely-contested game that featured two lead changes, Arizona scored first. The Wildcats got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the third, before UCLA answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame.
Arizona scored its first two runs on three hits and a run- scoring groundout. Mejias-Brean led off the inning with a single to center and moved to third on a ground-rule double by Ortega. A groundout to third base by Rickard scored Mejias-Brean and a double to right field by Frenzel scored Ortega.
In the bottom of the third with one out and runners at second and third base, Gelalich drove a two-RBI double to left field, tying the game at 2-2. Beau Amaral reached on a single up the middle, and took second base as Gelalich was thrown out attempting to score. Dean Espy singled to right field, sending home Amaral. Cody Regis followed with a two-out double to center, and Espy was thrown out at home to end the frame.
Arizona reclaimed the lead with a three-run homer by Rickard with one out in the top of the fifth inning.
Gelalich belted his first home run of the season, a solo shot just inside the right field foul pole, in the bottom of the fifth to reduce Arizona's cushion to 5-4. The Bruins had baserunners in each of the eighth and ninth innings but could not bring them home. UCLA stranded the potential tying run at second base to end the game.
The Bruins continue their Pac-10 series against Arizona on Saturday. Game time at UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium is 2 p.m. Tickets cost $7 each for adults and $5 for youth (ages 16 and under). Fans unable to attend can listen to a live audio broadcast online, free of charge, at uclabruins.com.
Game Notes: Cody Regis extended his season-long hitting streak to a team-high 10 games - Regis' streak is the longest by a Bruin since he hit safely in 15 games last season (ended on June 29, in the final game of the 2010 College World Series) ... Gerrit Cole moved into second place on UCLA's career strikeouts list (332), surpassing Alex Sanchez's 328 strikeout total ... Jeff Gelalich notched his first multiple-RBI game of the season ... Zack Weiss pitched a scoreless ninth inning, making just 10 pitches.
