UCLA
Oregon
UCLA Baseball Wins Series Opener at Oregon, 7-1
May 06, 2011 | Baseball
May 6, 2011
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EUGENE, Ore. - Dean Espy went 3-for-5 and Cody Regis went 1-for-2 with a game-high three RBI to lead the UCLA baseball team past Oregon, 7-1, before 1,584 at PK Park in a Pac-10 contest on Friday evening.
Right-hander Gerrit Cole (5-5) struck out five batters and walked one, limiting Oregon (23-21, 5-11) to one run and six hits in 7.1 innings. Espy had his second consecutive three-hit game for UCLA (25-16, 12-7), which secured its 16th win in its last 22 Pac-10 road contests.
Beau Amaral went 2-for-3 with two runs, Cody Keefer went 2-for-5 with one run, and Pat Valaika went 1-for-5 with a two-run single in the ninth inning.
Right-hander Nick Vander Tuig notched his sixth save, striking out two batters in 1.2 scoreless innings of relief. Vander Tuig entered the ballgame with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the eighth, recording a strikeout and fielder's choice to escape the jam.
Oregon left-hander Tyler Anderson (6-2) was charged with the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) and six hits in 5.1 innings. Anderson finished with four strikeouts and four walks.
UCLA scored one run in the top of the third on a two-out run-scoring single to left field by Regis, who sent home Chris Giovinazzo. The Bruins doubled their advantage in the top of the fifth, plating a run on Regis' sacrifice fly to deep center field, allowing Steve Rodriguez to score.
The Bruins scored two runs in the top of the sixth to assume a 4-0 lead. Keefer led off the frame with a sharp single to left field. After moving two bases on an errant pickoff attempt by Anderson, Keefer scored on the same at-bat on a passed ball. With two outs, Trevor Brown at third base and Rodriguez aboard first, Rodriguez broke toward second base, getting caught in a pickle. Before Rodriguez got tagged out to end the inning, Brown scored from third base.
Oregon scored one run in the bottom of the sixth. Ryon Healy launched a triple to straight-away center field with one out before scoring on Aaron Jones' grounder to Valaika, who overthrew Espy at first base.
UCLA extended its cushion to 5-1 with one run in the top of the seventh. Amaral reached second base with a flare double inside the left-field line, moved to third base on Espy's bunt single and scored on Regis' sacrifice fly to center.
Valaika lined a two-run single into right field with one out in the top of the ninth, pushing UCLA's margin to 7-1.
The Bruins resume their Pac-10 series against Oregon on Saturday. Game time at PK Park is 5 p.m. Fans can listen to a live audio broadcast online, free of charge, at uclabruins.com.
Game Notes: Gerrit Cole moved into a tie for eighth place on UCLA's career innings list (291.0 career innings, tied with Pat Clements) ... Cole made his 45th career start, taking sole possession of fifth place on UCLA's all-time starts list (13 shy of Alex Sanchez's school-record 58 career starts) ... Cody Regis recorded his sixth multiple-RBI game of the season, tied for the team lead with Dean Espy ... Chris Giovinazzo notched his team-leading 21st career stolen base (on 27 attempts) ... UCLA went 3-for-3 on bunts, collecting two sacrifice bunts ... Friday's victory marked UCLA's 400th career game under head coach John Savage.
