UCLA
27-23, 16-10
Utah
24-23, 12-14
Strumpf Grand Slam Lifts UCLA over Utah
May 20, 2017 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES โ Chase Strumpf hit a grand slam in the first inning, while Jake Bird tossed 5.0 innings allowing just two runs as the UCLA baseball team earned a 5-3 victory over Utah on Saturday night from Jackie Robinson Stadium. The win clinches the Pac-12 series for the Bruins as they won last night over the Utes, 7-3.
UCLA jumped out to an early 5-0 advantage in the first inning as Michael Toglia drew a bases-loaded walk, followed by Strumpf blasting a grand slam over the left-center field wall.
Utah recorded just one hit throughย the first five innings of the game but cut the deficit to just a two-run advantage in the sixth inning as Dallas Carroll hit a three-run home run to left field to make the score 5-3.
The Bruins bullpen would hold for the rest of the game as Nick Scheidler, Brian Gadsby and Scott Burke combined to throw the final three innings without allowing a run and surrendered just one base hit.
Bird (5-3) earned the win after tossing 5.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits with two strikeouts. Burke recorded his fifth save of the season with a perfect ninth inning.
Utah starting pitcher Riley Ottesen (4-4) suffered the loss allowing five runs on three hits and five strikeouts in 7.0 innings of work.
UCLA (27-23, 16-10) finished with five runs on three hits with no errors, while Utah (24-23, 12-14) ended the game with three runs on five hits and one error.
The Bruins will play its final home game of the season on Sunday against Utah with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. (PT). Sunday is Senior Day as Scott Burke, Moises Ceja, Nick Kern and Brett Stephens will be honored about 30 minutes prior to first pitch.
Game Notes: Chase Strumpf hit the first grand slam by a UCLA player since Kevin Kramer on Feb. 14, 2015 vs. Hofstra โฆ Strumpf recorded his sixth home run of the season and his fifth multi-RBI game of his career โฆ Jake Bird picked up his first win as a starter since Feb. 25 vs. Gonzaga โฆ Bird improves to 2-3 during conference play โฆ Scott Burke collected his second save this season during conference play โฆ Michael Toglia recorded his 20th RBI in Pac-12 play.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bird, Jake (5-3)
L: Ottesen, Riley (4-4)
S: Burke, Scott (5)
Batting:
2B: Gulden, Wade 1
HR: Carroll, Dallas 1
RBI: Carroll, Dallas 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Anderson, Chandler 1 ; Carroll, Dallas 1 ; Kelly, Ellis 1
PO: Keirsey Jr., DaShawn 1
Batting:
HR: Strumpf, Chase 1
RBI: Toglia, Michael 1 ; Strumpf, Chase 4
SH: Stephens, Brett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stephens, Brett 1 ; Amaral, Daniel 1 ; Bouchard, Sean 1 ; Toglia, Michael 1 ; Strumpf, Chase 1
