Ryan Kreidler Ryan Kreidler

Ryan Kreidler (photo by Katie Meyers)

Ninth Inning Rally Lifts UCLA over USC, 4-2

Baseball

SS Kreidler collected three RBIs including the game-winning runs.

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Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Ryan Kreidler drove in three runs, including the game-winning RBIs in the ninth inning, while Jake Bird tossed 6.1 shutout innings out of the bullpen as the UCLA baseball team earned a series win over USC, 4-2, on the road Friday night at Dedeaux Field.

Tied 2-2 in the ninth inning, the Bruins loaded the bases with one out to set up Kreidler who hit a two-strike line drive into center field to plate Chase Strumpf and Michael Toglia for the game-winning runs.

USC scored the game's first runs in the bottom of the first inning, but UCLA responded in the top of the second inning as Kreidler hit a double to center field off the glove of the out-stretched Christian Moya to bring home Toglia to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Bruins tied the game in the sixth inning as Sean Bouchard blasted a solo home run to left-center field to knot the score at 2-2.

Bird tossed 6.1 shutout innings out of the bullpen and struck out seven batters after starter Moises Ceja threw 1.1 innings allowing two runs on five hits. Nick Scheidler (2-4) earned the win tossing 1.1 shutout innings with two strikeouts, while Scott Burke picked up his fourth save of the season recording the final out with two runners on base with a strikeout.

USC's Connor Lunn (0-1) suffered the loss allowing two runs on three hits in 1.1 innings, while starter Chris Clarke threw 7.0 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits.

UCLA (23-20, 12-8) ended the game with four runs on eight hits and one error, while USC (19-24, 6-14) finished with two runs on 10 hits with three errors.

UCLA will play the series finale of this three-game Pac-12 series with USC on Saturday at 7 p.m. (PT) from Dedeaux Field with the game being televised on the Pac-12 Network.

Game Notes: Sean Bouchard hit his team-best eighth home run of the season, tied for second in the Pac-12 … Jake Bird tied a career-high with seven strikeouts … Bird threw his most innings since Feb. 25 against Gonzaga … The 6.1 innings are the second-longest in a game in Bird's career … Ryan Kreidler recorded his 22nd RBI of the season … Kreidler tallied his seventh multi-hit game and sixth multi-RBI game of the season … The UCLA pitching staff recorded its 15th double-digit strikeout game of the year.