University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Loyola Marymount
No. 11 Bruins Return Home to Face Loyola Marymount
March 05, 2018 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES - The 11th-ranked UCLA baseball team will return to Jackie Robinson Stadium on Tuesday to host Loyola Marymount for a midweek game beginning at 6 p.m. PT. The game can be heard live on UCLABruins.com with Tim Wilhelm on the call.
Probably Starters
Tuesday, March 6 - 6 p.m. PT
UCLA - Ryan Garcia, RHP, So. (1-0, 1.42 ERA)
LMU - Holden Christian, LHP, Fr. (0-0, 2.70 ERA)
Live Audio | Live Stats | Follow @UCLABaseball
Weekend in Review
UCLA traveled to Minneapolis, Minn. to compete in the DQ Classic/Pac-12 vs. Big Ten Challenge at U.S. Bank Stadium over the weekend as the Bruins won two out of three games against the Big Ten opponents.
- The opening game saw the Bruins fall to Illinois, 5-3, for just their second loss of the season as Jake Bird threw 6.2 innings allowing one run, while Jake Hirabayashi collected two hits with a double and a RBI.
- Game two of the weekend Jon Olsen threw a complete game allowing just one run, while Jake Hirabayashi and Michael Toglia each hit home runs to lead UCLA over Michigan State 4-1.
- In the final game of the weekend, the Bruins earned a 6-1 win over host Minnesota as Zach Pettway tossed six innings allowing just one run, while Ryan Kreidler and Jake Hirabayashi each hit RBI-doubles.
Toglia Sets the Pace
Sophomore Michael Toglia is leading the offense for the Bruins to begin the season. Toglia comes into the weekend leading the team hitting .439, slugging .878 and recording a .547 on-base percentages. Toglia has four home runs this season, including two at Cal State Fullerton from both sides of the plate and has driven in 12 runs and has also stolen two bases. He ranks top-50 in the country in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, home runs, doubles and walks.
Bosh Breaks Out
In Minneapolis, infielder Jake Hirabayashi had one of his best performances at the plate during his Bruin career. The junior hit .385 with a team-high five hits, including three for extra bases, drove in five runs and scored three times. He hit his first career home run in the 4-1 win over Michigan State and on Sunday collected one of UCLA's three doubles to lead the Bruins over Minnesota.
NCAA Rankings
After the first three weekends of the college baseball season, the Bruins are ranked top-25 nationally in a number of categories:
- Fielding Percentage (4th, .988), WHIP (7th, 1.02), ERA (10th, 2.02), Shutouts (12th, 2), Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings (12th, 6.50), Walks Allowed Per Nine Innings (19th, 2.66), Doubles (24th, 26) and Walks (25th, 67).
Pac-12 Leaders
UCLA is ranked in the top-3 in the conference both individually and as a team in a number of categories:
- As a team, UCLA is tops in the Pac-12 in doubles, walks, ERA and runs allowed. The Bruins are top-3 in on-base percentage, hits, runs, RBIs, home runs, stolen bases, opposing batting average, walks allowed and fielding percentage.
- Individually, Michael Toglia leads the Pac-12 in doubles, while also top-10 in batting average, RBIs, runs, home runs, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Daniel Amaral is tied for the lead in stolen bases and top-10 in on-base percentage and runs scored.
In The Polls
UCLA held firm in the polls this week after a 2-1 weekend in Minneapolis. Baseball America has the Bruins steady at No. 11 in the country, while D1Baseball has UCLA holding at No. 11 in the nation, as did Collegiate Baseball.
Strumpf Named to Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week
Sophomore Chase Strumpf was named to Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week after his opening weekend performance. Strumpf went 7-for-10 with 10 RBIs and five runs scored. He accounted for 15 of UCLA's 35 runs over the weekend as he posted a 1.400 slugging percentage with four doubles and a home run. The second basemen currently ranks ninth in the NCAA in doubles and 15th in RBIs.
Power Numbers
The UCLA offense put on a display in its opening weekend totaling 35 runs, 31 RBIs and 16 extra-base hits including four home runs. As a team the Bruins hit .364 for the weekend and slugged just over .600 with a .500 on-base percentage. The 35 runs were the most by UCLA on an opening weekend since plating 43 runs against Hofsrta in 2015.
Olsen Named Preseason All-American
Junior right-handed pitcher Jon Olsen was named to the Preseason All-American third team by both Collegiate Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Olsen was an All-Pac-12 selection last season after posting a 7-1 record with a 2.86 ERA. He totaled 80 strikeouts in 85.0 innings of work and held opponents to a .201 batting average. During conference play, the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. native finished with a perfect 6-0 record and a team-best 2.08 ERA.
Representing the Red, White and Blue
Over the summer in 2017, head coach John Savage was the manager of the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team and right-handed pitcher Jon Olsen became the first Bruin to play for Team USA since James Kaprielian in 2014. Savage led the U.S. to a 15-5 record over the summer, including holding an 11-4 mark during international play. The United States won all three international series it competed in, including going 4-0 against Chinese Taipei and 3-2 versus both Cuba and Japan. Olsen finished the summer with a 1-0 record and a 2.67 ERA in six appearances for the red, white and blue. He also registered 15 strikeouts compared to just two walks.
Preseason Rankings
The Bruins were tabbed to finish third in the Preseason Pac-12 coaches poll. UCLA received 84 votes, behind favorite Oregon State and second place Stanford. Arizona came in fourth with 68 points, followed by California with 56 and Oregon with 51.
Baby Bruins
The Bruins welcome eight new players to Westwood for the 2018 season. The recruiting class was ranked No. 16 by Baseball America, marking the fourth consecutive year that UCLA has been tabbed in the top 25. The class was also tabbed No. 18 by Collegiate Baseball. It marks the 11th time in 13 years the Bruins have earned a top-20 ranking from Collegiate Baseball.
- Garrett Mitchell, Sam Glick and Chase Farrell were selected in the 2017 MLB draft in June.
- Holden Powell was named to the All-West Coast League second team selection, while Zach Pettway was named an honorable mention over the summer.
- Mitchell was named the Preseason Freshman of the Year in the Pac-12 by Baseball America.
Scouting Loyola Marymount
Loyola Marymount is coming off a four-game split at Hawai'i over the weekend with the Lions winning the first two games of the series. Niko Decolati leads LMU hitting .298 with three doubles and a team-best eight runs scored, while Nick Sogard is batting .297 with three RBIs. Projected starter Holden Christian has a 2.70 ERA in three appearance, including two starts, with six strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work.
The Bruins vs. The Lions
UCLA is 50-47-1 all-time against Loyola Marymount but are 4-2 over its last six meetings. Last time the two teams met was 2014 when they played three midweek games with the Bruins winning two out of three. The Bruins are 5-5 against LMU under coach Savage including 4-4 at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Positional Rankings
D1Baseball has ranked the top players in the country by position and a number of Bruins have made the positional rankings:
- Michael Toglia - 1B - No. 9
- Chase Strumpf - 2B - No. 13
- Ryan Kreidler - SS - No. 23
- Jon Olsen - SP - No. 33
- Daniel Amaral - OF - No. 59
- Kyle Molnar - SP - No. 70
- Garrett Mitchell - OF - No. 81
Draft Stock
UCLA has several players that are ranked inside the top 100 MLB draft prospects in the country.
- Kyle Molnar was named the No. 10 2018 draft prospect by Baseball America and No. 13 by D1Baseball in the Pac-12. He was also tabbed the No. 91 overall college draft prospect by D1Baseball.
- Jon Olsen was pegged No. 14 by Baseball America and No. 16 by D1Baseball in the Pac-12 for 2018 draft prospects.
- Daniel Amaral and Jake Bird were each named to D1Baseball's list of 2018 draft prospects in the Pac-12.
- Bird was also named as one of the top college senior draft prospects by D1Baseball and baseball America.
- Michael Toglia was tabbed the No. 1 draft prospect in the Pac-12 by D1Baseball for the 2019 MLB draft and No. 8 by Baseball America. He was also tabbed the 12th-highest prospect overall by D1Baseball.
- In addition to Toglia, Chase Strumpf, Ryan Kreidler, Jeremy Ydens and Jack Stronach were on D1Baseball's top 2019 MLB draft prospects list.
2017 at a Glance
In 2017, UCLA made its ninth postseason in the last 12 seasons and second in the last three years after earning a berth into the Long Beach Regional and finished with an overall record of 30-27. The Bruins finished third in the Pac-12 with a record of 19-11 after earning a road sweep at crosstown rival USC and also taking two out of three at both Stanford and Oregon. The season came to a heartbreaking end in the regional after dropping a tough opening game to Texas, 3-2, and then being eliminated in a thrilling 13-inning affair, 3-2, to San Diego State.
UCLA continued its success on the mound as the team was ranked in the top-30 in the country in ERA, shutouts, hits allowed per nine innings and WHIP. The pitching staff was led by All-American and All-Pac-12 selection Griffin Canning and also All-Pac-12 team honoree Jon Olsen. Offensively, UCLA was led by All-Pac-12 selection Sean Bouchard and Freshman All-Americans Kyle Cuellar and Michael Toglia.
Looking Ahead
The Bruins will host the annual Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic over the weekend. UCLA will begin the weekend hosting Vanderbilt at 6 p.m. PT on Friday at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Then UCLA will face TCU at JRS on Saturday at 7 p.m. PT before playing crosstown rival USC at Dodger Stadium on Sunday at 3 p.m. PT. Saturday and Sunday's game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
