No. 3 UCLA Hosts Sacramento State Starting Friday

Friday, March 1

Los Angeles, CA

6:00 PM

UCLA

Sacramento State at UCLA

Buy Tickets

Michael Toglia and the Bruins look to improve on their 7-1 record this weekend (photo: Scott Chandler)

Photo by: Scott Chandler

No. 3 UCLA Hosts Sacramento State Starting Friday

February 28, 2019 | Baseball

Game Notes (PDF)Live Audio Live Stats Tickets

No. 3 UCLA Returns to Jackie Robinson Stadium To Host Sac State
After four straight away games, No. 3 UCLA returns to its home field this weekend to host Sacramento State for a three-game series starting on Friday night. The series starts a strech that sees the Bruins play six straight at home - Pepperdine heads to JRS on Tuesday while UCLA will host Michigan and Oklahoma State next weekend as part of the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic. UCLABruins.com will carry live audio broadcasts of each game, and fans can also follow along on Twitter at @UCLABaseball.

Projected Pitching Matchups
Friday, Mar. 1 - 6 p.m. PT
UCLA - Zach Pettway, RHP, So. (0-0, 2.08 ERA)
Sac St. - Parker Brahms, RHP, Jr. (0-2, 3.60 ERA)
Saturday, Mar. 2 - 2 p.m. PT
UCLA - Jack Ralston, RHP, RJr. (2-0, 1.64 ERA)
Sac St. - Scott Randall, RHP, So. (1-0, 0.69 ERA)
Sunday, Mar. 3 - 1 p.m. PT
UCLA - Jesse Bergin, RHP, Fr. (2-0, 0.00 ERA)
Sac St. - TBA

The Story So Far
UCLA is 7-1 to start the 2019 campaign, sweeping St. John's to open the year, shutting out LMU to wrap up a four-game homestand, taking two of three on the road at No. 19 Georgia Tech, and then edging CSUN 4-3 in midweek action. This is the third time in the last five years that UCLA has gone 7-1 out of the gate.

UCLA Pitching Gets Off To Hot Start
UCLA's pitching has been driving the boat in the early going, as the Bruin staff has produced some of the best numbers in the nation. The Bruins lead the Pac-12 in the following statistics: ERA (1.11, third nationally), hits per nine innings (4.32, fourth), shutouts (three, second), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.92, 12th), strikeouts per nine innings (11.6, 16th), and WHIP (0.81, fourth). The Bruins didn't allow a single earned run over their first four games, a first for the program since 2011. The streak without an ER lasted 37 1/3 innings.

Big Innings
UCLA has put up a crooked number in at least one inning in all but one game so far this season. The Bruins have scored four or more runs in a single inning in half of their eight games this season.

Don't Mess With The Bull(pen)
As good as UCLA's starting pitchers have been, the bullpen has been downright unhittable. Over 27 2/3 combined innings of work, Bruin relievers allowed just 11 hits while striking out 42 (a 13.7 K/9 ratio). The UCLA pen has allowed just four earned runs to this point of the season, a 1.30 ERA. Right-handers Kyle Mora, Holden Powell, and Nate Hadley all co-lead the Pac-12 Conference with six appearances, while Mora and Nick Nastrini (two starts, one bullpen appearance) co-lead the league with 17 strikeouts heading into the weekend.

Savage Eyes A Pair Of Milestones
Heading into the midweek matchup, UCLA head coach John Savage is in striking distance of a pair of career milestones. As of Tuesday, he needs six wins for 500 at UCLA and 18 wins for 600 overall in his career.

Scouting The Hornets
Sacramento State is 3-4 this year, losing a three-game series to North Dakota State and a four-game series to Pacific. Control on the mound has been a stength for Sac St. early on, as they rank fifth in the country with a 4.93 strikeout-to-walk ratio and seventh in walks issued with 14. Preseason All-WAC pick Scott Randall has been a standout so far, crafting a team-best 0.69 ERA. They are coming off a 35-25 season in 2018, the seventh straight 30-win year for the program.

Rankings Roundup
After last week's series win, UCLA stayed put in all but one major national poll. The Bruins are still ranked as high as No. 3 nationally (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball), while both D1Baseball and the NCBWA have them at No. 4. UCLA was No. 7 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, which hasn't been updated since the preseason.

Give Me More Mora
Junior right-handed reliever Kyle Mora has been overpowering opponents this season, striking out a Pac-12-best 17 batters so far in just nine innings. His 17.0 strikeouts per nine innings rank first in the league and 16th nationally. He retired the first 13 batters he faced this season, and currently holds a streak of six consecutive batters retired. He co-leads the Pac-12 with six appearances this year after ranking 11th nationally with 34 appearances a season ago.

Looking Ahead
Next weekend, Mar. 8-10, brings the 2019 Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic. UCLA will host Michigan and Oklahoma State at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday and Saturday, respectively, before facing off against USC at Dodger Stadium on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. The Pac-12 Network will be on-hand to televise the matchup with the Trojans. The Wolverines and Cowboys will play a neutral game on the morning of the Mar. 10 at Dodger Stadium.

Taking One For The Team
Small ball has treated the Bruins well so far in 2019, as UCLA leads the entire nation with 10 sacrifice bunts this year. Junior catcher Will McInerny leads the team and is second in the country with four sac bunts, one of five Bruins to lay down a sac so far.

Last Week In Review
UCLA won two out of three last weekend on the road at No. 19 Georgia Tech. It was the first time the two teams had met since the 1999 season. The Bruins wrapped up their week with a 4-3 win at CSUN on Tuesday.
-UCLA was dealt its first loss of the season in Friday's series opener in Atlanta, as the Yellow Jackets emerged victorious via an 11th inning walk-off home run from catcher Kyle McCann. Earlier, the Bruins came back from deficits of 2-1 and 3-2 to force extras. UCLA had an opportunity to go ahead in the top half of the 11th, but a pair of standout defensive plays by GT kept the game tied. Kyle Mora was a tough-luck loser, allowing the home run after three strong innings of relief.
-The Bruins evened the series with an 8-2 triumph on Saturday. Matt McLain and Michael Toglia each had multiple extra-base hits as UCLA collected a season-high 13 hits as a team. Toglia doubled in the eventual game-winning run as part of a four-run third, and McLain followed with a two-run homer, the first of his career. Once taking the lead, starter Jack Ralston and the bullpen put the clamps down. The pen in particular was effective, holding the Jackets without a hit over the final four innings of the game.
-UCLA pulled the series out with a 6-0 shutout win on Sunday. Freshman Jesse Bergin did the heavy lifting on the pitching side, allowing just two hits and holding GT to an 0-7 line with runners in scoring position over six strong innings. Jake Pries had three hits to lead the UCLA offense, while five different batters drove in a run.
-UCLA outscored Georgia Tech 14-2 over the final two games of the series.
-The Bruins outlasted CSUN for a 4-3 win on Tuesday, scoring single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to wipe out a go-ahead three run rally from the Matadors in the sixth. Ryan Kreidler drove in the game-winning run with an RBI single in the seventh, and UCLA went up for good an inning later when the CSUN catcher made an errant throw after a ball in the dirt, allowing Matt McLain to score from third. Nick Nastrini logged five shutout innings in his second collegiate start. McLain put the Bruins up early with a bases-loaded, two-run single in the third.

Good Luck Getting A Hit
UCLA pitching has held its opponents to four hits or fewer in six of eight games this season. One of the teams to eclipse that mark - Georgia Tech with seven last Friday - needed 11 innings to do so.

Leading Off Right
UCLA leadoff hitters have done an exceptional job at getting on base, as the Bruins have a team .414 OBP in leadoff at-bats. Garrett Mitchell (.750 OBP in four plate appearances), Chase Strumpf (.800 OBP in five PAs), and Ryan Kreidler (.667 OBP in nine PAs) have been especially adept at starting off innings on a high note.

Bruins Picked to Win Pac-12 in Preseason Coaches Poll
In a vote of all 11 Pac-12 coaches, the Bruins were picked as the favorites to win the league in 2019. UCLA received eight of 11 first place votes and a league-high 97 points. 2015 was the last time that UCLA was picked to finish first in the Preseason Coaches Poll, which was also the last time that UCLA won the league. Stanford (two first place votes, 90 points) and Oregon St. (one first place vote, 85 points) also received first place votes. They were followed in succession by Arizona (67), Washington (60), Arizona State (59), Oregon (49), California (37), USC (32), Washington State (15), and Utah (14).

Strumpf Named a Unanimous First Team Preseason All-American
UCLA junior Chase Strumpf was the First Team second baseman on every Preseason All-America team released this offseason, as he was honored by Baseball America, D1Baseball, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA, and Perfect Game. He was one of just four players nationwide to gain consensus First Team status, joining catcher Adley Rutschman (Oregon State), first baseman Andrew Vaughn (Cal), and third baseman Josh Jung (Texas Tech). Strumpf slashed .363/.475/.633 last year with 12 home runs and 53 RBIs en route to All-America and Dick Howser Award semifinalist honors.

Toglia, Ydens Also Pick Up All-American Acclaim
Strumpf wasn't the only Bruin to get preseason publicity, as both Michael Toglia and Jeremy Ydens were named Preseason All-Americans. Toglia was a Second Teamer in D1Baseball and a Third Team choice in Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA, and Perfect Game, while Ydens was a Second Team outfielder per Collegiate Baseball. Toglia (.336 average, 11 home runs) and Ydens (.350 average, 28 extra-base hits) were key middle-of-the-order bats for the Bruins last year.

Fabulous Freshmen
UCLA's newest class of newcomers was ranked as high as No. 4 in the country (D1Baseball). The Bruins' new class was the highest-ranked in the Pac-12 and in the western half of the country. UCLA has turned in a top-25 recruiting class for five consecutive seasons, while the Bruins' No. 4 ranking is the highest for the program since 2015. A trio of frosh players were selected to D1Baseball's Top-100 Impact Freshmen List, including list-topper Matt McLain, catcher Noah Cardenas (No. 81), and right-handed pitcher Sean Mullen (No. 89).

McLain Chooses UCLA
The Bruins' freshman class is highlighted by Tustin, Calif. native Matt McLain, who opted to attend UCLA after being drafted in the first round (25th overall) of the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. McLain is the second first-round draft pick out of high school to attend UCLA, following in the foosteps of Gerrit Cole (2008). Other high draft choices to turn down MLB overtures include Troy Glaus (37th overall, 1994) and Chase Utley (76th overall, 1997).

UCLA In The Positional Power Rankings
UCLA was well-represented in the D1Baseball.com positional power rankings, published just before the start of the season.
Chase Strumpf was the Bruins' top player, taking the No. 1 spot at second base. The Bruins' other starting infielders all made it as well: Michael Toglia was the No. 3 first baseman, Kevin Kendall was the No. 21 shortstop, and Ryan Kreidler was No. 29 at third base. All three of the Bruins' starting outfielders made the power rankings too: Jeremy Ydens (No. 15), Matt McLain (No. 37), and Garrett Mitchell (No. 62). A pair of Bruin starting pitchers were recognized (Ryan Garcia, No. 20 and Zach Pettway, No. 100) while Holden Powell (No. 35) made the relievers list.

Dynamic Duo Named to Golden Spikes Award Watch List
UCLA's Chase Strumpf and Michael Toglia were both named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List prior to the new season. In 2018, Strumpf and Toglia were the most prolific Bruin teammates of the last 20 years. The right-side of the UCLA infield became the first Bruin duo since 2007 to hit double-digit home runs in the same season when Cody Decker (14) and Gabe Cohen (10) accomplished the feat. Strumpf and Toglia are just the fourth and fifth Bruins since 2001 with 50-plus RBIs and 10-plus home runs in the same season. The pair also became the first UCLA teammates since 2008 to each drive in over 50 runs in the same season (Casey Haerther, 52 and Brandon Crawford, 51).

Powell Named to Stopper of the Year Watch List
UCLA sophomore righty Holden Powell was named to the 75-man Stopper of the Year Watch List by the NCBWA. First awarded in 2005, the Stopper of the Year is handed out to college baseball's top reliever annually. Former Bruin closer David Berg is the lone pitcher ever to win the award multiple times.

Big League Bruins
Baseball America recently dubbed UCLA as the No. 3 producer of Major League talent in an analysis of alumni production since 1999. Anchored by star pitching performances from the likes of Cole and Trevor Bauer alongside All-Star careers from position players Troy Glaus, Chase Utley, and Brandon Crawford, UCLA alums have produced 139 WAR (wins above replacement) since 1999, third-most of any college baseball program in the country.

Schedule At A Glance
This season, UCLA is set to host St. John's, Sac State, and East Carolina in non-conference home series. The Bruins will also travel to Georgia Tech (Feb. 23-25) and participate in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic (Mar. 8-10; field includes USC, Michigan, and Oklahoma State). The Bruins travel no further than Orange County for midweeks, playing home-and-homes against LMU, CSUN, Pepperdine, LBSU, UC Irvine, and Cal State Fullerton.

Draft Stock
Bruin players were all over the prospect rankings for both Baseball America (all prospects) and D1Baseball (Division I prospects only). Ranked players include Michael Toglia (D1: 22, BA: 44), Chase Strumpf (D1: 23, BA: 79), Ryan Garcia (D1: 53), Jeremy Ydens (D1: 103), Ryan Kreidler (D1: 178, BA: 190), and Justin Hooper (D1: 255). UCLA commits Corbin Carroll (No. 7), Emanuel Dean (No. 71), and Darius Perry (No. 122) were all included in Baseball America's prospect rankings.

Berg Returns to UCLA
David Berg, arguably the top reliever in college baseball history, returned to UCLA this season as an undergrad assistant coach. He is the NCAA record-holder in career appearances (175) and single seasons saves (23), and holds UCLA career marks in saves (49) and ERA (1.11). He was a two-time Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and NCBWA Stopper of the Year. Berg logged a 4.63 career ERA over three minor league seasons.

Bruins Win the Cape Cod League
Last summer, a quartet of UCLA players – staff ace Ryan Garcia, center fielder Jeremy Ydens, shortstop Ryan Kreidler, and reliever Jack Ralston – made up the backbone of the Wareham Gatemen, who eventually went on to win the Cape Cod League Championship. Ydens (.304/.347/.432) and Garcia (2-0, 1.28 ERA) both put up gaudy stat lines en route to All-Cape Cod League honors.

High Expectations For UCLA in Preseason Rankings
UCLA appeared in every national preseason poll this winter, coming in as high as No. 3 (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball). Elsewhere, the Bruins were ranked No. 4 (NCBWA, Perfect Game), No. 5 (D1Baseball), and No. 7 (ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll). UCLA is the highest-ranked Pac-12 team in four of six polls, and has the highest aggregate ranking of any league team.