TUCSON, Ariz. – Chase Strumpf hit a two-run home run and Kevin Kendall recorded two hits with a double as the No. 8 UCLA baseball team dropped the series finale at Arizona, 6-3, on Saturday from Hi-Corbett Field.
Arizona scored twice in the first inning as a run came home on a throwing error and Cesar Salazar hit a RBI-single up the middle.
UCLA tied the game in the top of the third inning when Kevin Kendall led off with a double followed by Strumpf hitting a two-run home run to straight-away center field. The Wildcats regained their lead in the bottom half of the frame on a lead-off home run by Alfonso Rivas to right field to make the score 3-2.
UA plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead highlighted by a RBI-triple to right-center field by Donta Williams.
Trailing 6-2 in the ninth inning, pinch hitter Jack Stronach would drive in a run with a single up the middle to cut the lead to three runs but the Bruins were unable to score again to extend the game.
Juan Aguilera (6-0) earned the win for the Wildcats throwing 6.1 innings allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts, while Ryan Garcia (5-1) suffered the loss allowing five runs, four earned, on four hits with three strikeouts in 3-2 innings of work.
UCLA (30-13, 14-7) scored three runs on eight hits with one error, while Arizona (28-17, 10-11) finished the game with six runs on five hits with no errors.
UCLA returns to Jackie Robinson Stadium on Tuesday to host Long Beach State at 6 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Network.
Game Notes: UCLA swept for the first time in Pac-12 play since the final series of 2016 … Chase Strumpf hit his team leading 10th home run of the season … Strumpf is the first Bruin since Jeff Gelalich in 2012 to record double-digit home runs in a season … Strumpf extended his reached base streak to 31 games … Kevin Kendall recorded his 10th multi-hit game of the season … Jeremy Ydens tallied his 14th double of the year … Nick Scheidler made his team-high 29th appearance of the season.