UCLA
Michigan State
No. 8 UCLA Earns Fourth-Straight Win, 5-0, over Michigan State
February 28, 2015 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES – The No. 8 UCLA Bruins claimed game two of the three game series over Michigan State, 5-0, on Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Today's win marks the second shutout in three games and fourth win in a row for UCLA.
Senior left-hander Grant Watson (2-0) went seven strong innings, allowing just four hits and no runs to earn his second win of the year. Michigan State's Cam Vieaux (0-2) allowed two runs in his six innings of work to get the loss.
The UCLA pitching staff was excellent yet again today, combining to shutout the Spartans while striking out five and allowing just five hits. Beginning with two outs in the fifth inning, and lasting through the eighth, Watson and Grant Dyer combined to set down 10-straight Michigan State batters. Dyer and David Berg each pitched scoreless innings of relief to hold the victory for Watson.
Junior outfielder Ty Moore (2-for-3, 2 runs) recorded his ninth multi-hit game of the season and extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Chris Keck also had a productive day, going 2-for-4 with four runs batted in.
Senior third baseman Keck, who also drove in four runs last night, delivered the first of his four RBIs today in the bottom of the first inning to put the initial run on the board for UCLA. With two outs, Moore singled to left field and Keck followed up with a triple down the right-field line to give UCLA the early edge.
Another triple led to the Bruins second run of the game in the fifth inning. With one out, junior Kevin Kramer legged out a triple of his own after hitting a long fly ball off of the right field fence. Luke Persico then backed that up with a sacrifice fly to center field to bring Kramer in for his 15th RBI of the year.
Then, two innings later, Keck was at it again for the Bruins with a bases clearing double to the right-center field gap. After Trent Chatterton, Kramer and Moore set the table, Keck drove all three men home with one swing of the bat to extend the UCLA lead to the eventual final count of 5-0.
With today's victory, the Bruins clinch their third consecutive series win to open the 2015 season. Through two games UCLA has out-scored Michigan State 19-2 and will look for the series sweep tomorrow afternoon.
UCLA (9-1) closes out the three-game home series with Michigan State (3-5) tomorrow at 1:00pm PT at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The game can be heard live on uclabruins.com.
Notes: Freshman infielder Nick Valaika made his first career collegiate start, playing third base today. Over the past three games, the UCLA pitching staff has allowed just two runs, resulting in a 0.67 ERA. Over that three-game span, the Bruin staff has struck out 26 batters and walked just two. Chris Keck's eight RBIs this weekend give him 18 on the season, good for a single season career-high total.
