UCLA
6-10, 0-1
Arizona
14-4, 1-0
UCLA Drops Twinbill to No. 12 Arizona
March 18, 2017 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES - Kyle Cuellar went 3-for-4 with a double and a RBI in game one, while Moises Ceja tossed 5.2 innings allowing two runs and Daniel Amaral collected two hits including a RBI-double in game two as the UCLA baseball dropped both games of a doubleheader to No. 12 Arizona, 19-4 and 4-3, on Saturday from Jackie Robinson Stadium. Sean Bouchard went 4-for-7 during the twinbill and Nick Valaika drove in two runs.
In the night cap, the Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the second inning as Valaika plated Brett Stephens in the first inning with a sacrifice fly followed in the second inning by a pair of runs as UCLA recorded three doubles highlighted by Jack Stronach and Amaral driving in one run each.
Arizona tied the game in the sixth inning with three runs highlighted by Jared Oliva hitting a looping base hit to right field for the game-tying run with two outs.
The Wildcats took the lead in the top of the ninth inning as they loaded the bases with two outs. Cameron Cannon would hit a slow roller to the shortstop and his throw pulled the first baseman off the bag to bring home the game's deciding run.
Arizona's Cameron Ming (4-0) earned the win tossing the final 3.0 innings without allowing a run. UCLA's Scott Burke (0-2) suffered the loss throwing the final inning and allowed one unearned run on two hits. UCLA starter Ceja threw 5.0 shoutout innings to begin the game with a pair of strikeouts.
The first game between the two teams was a continuation of Friday's postponed game and began with one out in the top of the second inning and a runner on third base. Arizona's first batter of the restarted game, Cesar Salazar, hit a single to center field off of Brian Gadsby who entered the game for Friday starter Griffin Canning for the game's first run.
The Wildcats added three runs in the third inning but the Bruins responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning as Cuellar hit an infield single to bring home Amaral and cut the Arizona lead to 4-1.
Arizona continued to push its lead highlighted by a three-run home run by JJ Matijevic in the fifth inning. The Bruins would tack on two runs in the sixth inning as Valaika hit a RBI-single up the middle followed by a Stronach sacrifice fly.
Canning (0-1) suffers his first loss of the season for the Bruins throwing 1.1 innings on Friday and allowed one run. Arizona's JC Cloney improves to 5-0 on the season tossing 5.0 innings after returning to pitch on Saturday and allowed one run on five hits with four strikeouts.
The series finale between UCLA and the 12th-ranked Wildcats is set for Sunday at 2 p.m. (PT) at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Network with Roxy Bernstein and Dean Stotz on the call.
Game One Notes: Griffin Canning recorded his 200th career strikeout in the first inning โฆ He becomes the 22nd pitcher in program history to surpass 200 strikeouts and eighth since John Savage became manager in 2005 โฆ Canning now ranks 21st on the program's all-time strikeout list with 202 โฆ Sean Bouchard leads the team with three 3-hit games this season followed by Kyle Cuellar with two.
Game Two Notes: Moises Ceja's scoreless inning streak was snapped in the sixth inning at 19.1 โฆ Michael Toglia recorded his second double of the season โฆ Daniel Amaral leads the team with six multi-hit games this season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ming, Cameron (4-0)
L: Burke, Scott (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Stevenson, Cal 1 ; Rivas, Alfonso 1 ; Matijevic, JJ 1
RBI: Rivas, Alfonso 1 ; Matijevic, JJ 1 ; Oliva, Jared 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stevenson, Cal 1 ; Rivas, Alfonso 1 ; Matijevic, JJ 1 ; Fraizer, Matt 1
SB: Oliva, Jared 1
Batting:
2B: Amaral, Daniel 1 ; Bouchard, Sean 1 ; Toglia, Michael 1 ; Stronach, Jack 1
RBI: Amaral, Daniel 1 ; Valaika, Nick 1 ; Stronach, Jack 1
SH: McInerny, Will 1
SF: Valaika, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stephens, Brett 2 ; Toglia, Michael 1
HBP: Bouchard, Sean 1 ; Valaika, Nick 1
