UCLA
33-17, 16-9
Oregon
25-25, 11-14
Big Innings Lead No. 17 UCLA over Oregon, 12-4
May 18, 2018 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES – Kevin Kendall drove in three runs with a double and a triple, while Jake Bird tossed 8.0 innings on the mound as the No. 17 UCLA baseball team won the series opener against Oregon, 12-4, on Friday from Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Bird (7-3) earned the win and improved to 6-2 in Pac-12 play tossing 8.0 innings allowing four runs, one earned, on seven hits with eight strikeouts. Kenyon Yovan (5-4) suffered the loss allowing seven runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings of work with six strikeouts.
UCLA's offense was also led by Jeremy Ydens with three hits, three runs and two RBIs and Chase Strumpf, Michael Toglia and Garrett Mitchell each recorded two base hits.
Tied 4-4 in the sixth inning, UCLA scored seven runs to take an 11-4 lead. The Bruins loaded the bases and scored their first two runs when Parker Kelly threw two wild pitches. Daniel Rosica would then drive in a run with a groundball to the shortstop as Garrett Mitchell's slide home knocked the ball out of the catcher's glove. Two batters later, Kendall cleared the bases with a triple down the right-field line to score two runs and later scored on another wild pitch. Jack Stronach drove in the seventh and final run of the frame with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Kevin Kendall come up big to extend @UCLABaseball's lead is the @OpusBank #12Best Moment. pic.twitter.com/Pl11SpjwWt
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) May 19, 2018
Oregon scored two runs in the second inning, but the Bruins responded with a four-run third inning. Ydens tied the game as he ripped a two-run triple into the gap in right-center field and scored when Kendall doubled down the first-base line. The next batter, Toglia, brought home Kendall with an RBI-single into right field for the 4-2 lead.
The Ducks tied the game in the top of the sixth inning on a two-run double by Gabe Matthew with the bases loaded, but Bird was able to limit the damage with two ground outs.
UCLA (33-17, 16-9) scored 12 runs on 13 hits with two errors, while Oregon (25-25, 11-14) ended the game with four runs on eight hits with no errors.
Game two of this three-game Pac-12 series will take place on Saturday beginning at 1:30 p.m. PT from Jackie Robinson Stadium. The game will be televised live on the Pac-12 Network.
Game Notes: UCLA's seven-run sixth inning were the most runs in a single-inning this season … The Bruins have score 10 or more runs in a game 15 times this season and five or more runs in an inning 18 times … Jake Bird set a new career-high with eight strikeouts and tied a career-high in innings pitched … UCLA improves to 10-4 when Bird starts on the mound … Kevin Kendall has driven in three or more runs twice this season … Jeremy Ydens tied a season-high with three hits … Chase Strumpf leads the team with 25 multi-hit games, followed by Michael Toglia with 21, Ydens with 20, Kendall with 14 and Garrett Mitchell with 11 … Nick Scheidler made his team-best 35th appearance of the season, while Kyle Mora appeared in his 29th game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bird, Jake (7-3)
L: Yovan, Kenyon (5-4)
Batting:
2B: Matthews, Gabe 1
RBI: Matthews, Gabe 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kasser, Kyle 1 ; Steer, Spencer 1 ; Yovan, Kenyon 1 ; DeLuca, Jonny 1
HBP: Yovan, Kenyon 1
PO: Travess, Taylor 1
Batting:
2B: Kendall, Kevin 1
3B: Ydens, Jeremy 1 ; Kendall, Kevin 1
RBI: Ydens, Jeremy 2 ; Kendall, Kevin 3 ; Toglia, Michael 1 ; Stronach, Jack 1 ; Rosica, Daniel 1
SF: Stronach, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ydens, Jeremy 3 ; Kendall, Kevin 2 ; Strumpf, Chase 1 ; Stronach, Jack 1 ; Amaral, Daniel 1 ; Mitchell, Garrett 1 ; Kreidler, Ryan 1 ; Rosica, Daniel 2
SB: Ydens, Jeremy 1 ; Kreidler, Ryan 1
CS: Mitchell, Garrett 1
HBP: Stronach, Jack 1 ; Amaral, Daniel 1
