Jack StronachJack Stronach

Jack Stronach (photo by Katie Meyers)

UCLA Wins Series Opener over Utah, 7-3

Baseball

3B Stronach collected three RBIs with a solo home run.

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LOS ANGELES – Jack Stronach went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and three RBIs, while Griffin Canning threw a complete game with 10 strikeouts as the UCLA baseball team won the series opener over Utah, 7-3, on Friday from Jackie Robinson Stadium.

With UCLA leading 4-3 in the fifth inning, the Bruins pushed its lead to a three-run advantage after Stronach hit a two-run double down the first-base line to score Michael Toglia and Sean Bouchard. The next inning, Bouchard plated Brett Stephens from third base with a groundball to the second baseman for the final run of the game and a 7-3 score.

UCLA scored quickly with a run in the first inning as Toglia singled to right field and, after a Utah error, Bouchard was able to score all the way from first base.

The Bruins went up 4-0 after putting up three runs in the second inning. Stronach started the inning with a solo home run, followed by Daniel Amaral scoring Jeremy Ydens with a groundball to the shortstop and Bouchard hitting a RBI-single to left field.

Utah cut the deficit to just one run in the top of the third inning when Dallas Carroll hit a three-run home run to right field.

Canning (6-3) picked up his fifth win during conference play this season after tossing a complete game with 10 strikeouts, allowing three runs on just six hits and two walks. Utah's Jayson Rose (7-3) suffered the loss allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits in 4.1 innings of work.

UCLA (26-23, 15-10) finished with seven runs on 10 hits with no errors, while Utah (24-22, 12-13) ended the game with three runs on six hits with one error.

The Bruins and Utes will play game two of this three-game Pac-12 series on Saturday starting at 6 p.m. (PT) from Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Game Notes: Griffin Canning is now sixth on UCLA's career strikeout list with 285, passing James Kaprielian (2013-15) … Canning recorded his third complete of the year and seventh of his career … Canning collected his seventh double-digit strikeout performance of the season and fifth in the last six starts … Canning has thrown 7.0 or more innings in six-straight starts … Jack Stronach hit his first career home run … Stronach set a career-high with three RBIs … Sean Bouchard and Daniel Amaral are now tied for the team-lead with 14 multi-hit games … Bouchard recorded his eighth multi-RBI game of the season … the UCLA offense recorded its 16th double-digit hit game.