No. 1 UCLA Set to Host Arizona For Three-Game Series

UCLA is atop the national rankings for the first time since 2013 (photo: Don Liebig)

Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA

No. 1 UCLA Set to Host Arizona For Three-Game Series

March 21, 2019 | Baseball

No. 1 UCLA (14-4, 2-1 Pac-12) vs. Arizona (13-7, 2-1 Pac-12)
Friday, Mar. 22, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. PT
Saturday, Mar. 23, 2019 - 2:00 p.m. PT
Sunday, Mar. 24, 2019 – 1:00 p.m. PT
Location: Jackie Robinson Stadium
Audio: UCLA Lean Player
Audio Talent: Tim Wilhelm
Live Stats: UCLA Live Stats

UCLA Hosts Arizona For Three-Game Conference Series
No. 1 UCLA (14-4, 2-1 Pac-12) continues a six-game homestand by hosting Arizona (13-7, 2-1) for three games this weekend, starting on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and continuing with showdowns on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. UCLABruins.com will carry a live audio broadcast of each game, and fans can also follow along on Twitter at
@UCLABaseball.

The Story So Far
UCLA is 14-4 to start the 2019 campaign, winning all four of its weekend series, taking two of three in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic, and posting midweek wins at home against LMU and on the road at CSUN and Long Beach State. At 14-4, UCLA is off to its third-best 18-game start of the John Savage era (since 2005).

Bruins Jump To No. 1 In National Rankings
After taking two of three from the defending national champs last weekend, UCLA jumped to the top of nearly every major national poll. On Monday, the Bruins were tabbed No. 1 in the nation by D1Baseball, Baseball America, ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, the NCBWA, and Perfect Game. The lone outlet not to have them at No. 1 was Collegiate Baseball, which ranked the Bruins No. 3. This is the first time UCLA has been ranked No. 1 in the country since the final polls of the 2013 season. Arizona is unranked in all polls this week, but received votes in Preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

Last Week In Review
Last week, UCLA started Pac-12 play by taking two out of three from defending national champion and then-No. 3-ranked Oregon State in a home series at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
-The Bruins opened the set with an 8-0 shutout win on Friday night. Sophomore righty Zach Pettway led the way on the mound with seven scoreless innings, while Jack Stronach homered and tied a career-high with three RBIs to lead UCLA's bats. Five separate UCLA players had multiple hits. UCLA scored in three of its first five offensive innings, then put the game away with a four-run seventh highlighted by RBI singles from Matt McLain and Michael Toglia. Former Bruin great Chase Utley was honored before the game.
-UCLA dropped a close Saturday night game, as OSU scored four in the top of the ninth to break a tie and win it 7-3. OSU took its first lead on an Alex McGarry single with the bases loaded in the ninth, then the Beavers added a trio of insurance runs. Matt McLain went 2-4 and figured into the scoring of all three of UCLA's runs, including an RBI triple into the right-center field gap in the fifth inning. Jack Ralston allowed one earned over six innings for UCLA.
-The Bruins claimed a 9-7 win in a wild finale to clinch the series. OSU struck first with a two-run first, but UCLA answered with a five-spot in the bottom half of the inning to get back in the driver's seat. OSU tied it with a two-run homer from Adley Rutschman in the fifth, but the Bruins went up for good with a three-spot in the bottom of the fifth. The Beavers made UCLA sweat it out, scoring single runs in the seventh and ninth and getting the go-ahead run to the plate in the top of the ninth, but Holden Powell held them off for his league-high sixth save of the year.
-With final exams on the schedule, UCLA had no midweek this week.

Pettway Named Pac-12 Pitcher Of The Week
After leading UCLA to an 8-0 shutout of Oregon State on Friday night, UCLA sophomore right-hander Zach Pettway was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week. The honor was the first weekly award for Pettway in his career, and he became the first Bruin to take home Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors since Griffin Canning on Apr. 17, 2017. Pettway allowed just three hits and struck out eight over his standout seven-inning start.

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 are among the best in the nation in ERA (2.21, second), hits allowed per nine innings (5.96, second), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.62, 11th), and WHIP (1.01, fourth). UCLA has allowed no earned runs in eight of its 18 games, including the first four of the year, a span of 37 1/3 innings.

Savage Wins 500th At UCLA
Friday night's victory over Oregon State represented the 500th as head coach at UCLA for John Savage, making him just the third bench boss in program history to reach that milestone. He is within striking distance of another milestone, as he needs just 11 to reach 600 overall in his career.

Shutting Them out
The 8-0 blanking of Oregon State on Friday night was UCLA's sixth shutout of the season, moving them into a tie for the national lead (Tennessee, Auburn). UCLA has recorded a shutout in all four of its weekend series - once in the opener, twice in the middle game, and once in the finale. The Bruins also have shutouts in two of their three midweek games.

Making The Necessary Sacrifices
Small ball has treated the Bruins well so far in 2019, as UCLA ranks 11th in the country with 17 sac bunts. Will McInerny has laid it down seven times, pacing the league and ranking second nationally.

Grab Some Pine
The UCLA pitching staff has proven adept at punching out batters this year, leading the Pac-12 and ranking eighth in the nation with 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings. The Bruins have struck out at least eight batters in every game so far this year, and have reached double digits in 10 out of 18 games. UCLA has three of the top-10 leaders in strikeouts in the Pac-12, including co-league-leader Zach Pettway (39), Jack Ralston (29, seventh), and Kyle Mora (28, ninth).

Stronach Makes ESPN Cameo
Jack Stronach made an outstanding full-extension, diving catch in the left-center field gap to rob George Mendazona of extra bases and end the sixth the inning in Sunday's affair against OSU. That grab ended up making No. 5 on that night's SportsCenter Top 10. That catch was part of standout weekend for Stronach, who started all three games in the cleanup spot, going a combined 5-10 with four RBIs, four runs scored, and two extra-base hits including his first home run of 2019.

Hot At Home
UCLA has won nine of 12 home games so far this year, right in line with the program's .704 winning percentage at Jackie Robinson Stadium since the start of the 2017 season. The Bruins have won 12 consecutive series - including six Pac-12 sets - on their home field dating back to April 21-23, 2017 (Oregon State).

Putting Down Roots
UCLA is not scheduled to leave Los Angeles County for the entirety of March, as the squad's only road games are at LBSU, LMU, and USC. The Bruins don't leave LA county until Apr. 5 (at Stanford) and don't leave California until May 3 (at ASU).

Mitchell Stepping Up
One of UCLA's more consistent hitters early on in the year, sophomore right fielder Garrett Mitchell has stepped it up another level since moving to the leadoff spot. In five games since going atop the lineup, he's gone 8-21 (.380) with at least one hit in each game. Mitchell has also scored six runs in that span, drawn three walks, and stolen two bases. He hit a leadoff home run on Mar. 12 at Long Beach State - a noted pitcher's park - for his first career roundtripper.

Seeing Triple
The Bruins have legged out 10 triples already this season, a figure which ranks 10th nationally and second in the Pac-12. Four separate Bruins have a pair of three-baggers: Ryan Kreidler, Jake Pries, Matt McLain, and Michael Toglia.

Down But Not Out
UCLA has proven itself undeterred when facing a deficit, as the Bruins are 6-2 this year in games where the opponent scores first. Of those eight games, the Bruins fought back to tie or take the lead in all but one.

Scouting The Wildcats
Arizona is 13-7 overall this season and is coming off a series win over Utah in its Pac-12 opener. The Wildcats have been successful on the offensive side of the ball, ranking in the top-five nationwide in all three slash categories (.327/.446/.509) while ranking second in the NCAA with a 10.6 runs per game average. Their pitching has been more middle-of-the-road, as their 4.90 team ERA ranks eighth in the Pac-12 and 157th nationally. Cameron Cannon (.417/.500/.702) leads a lineup that features six regulars batting .315 or higher.

Picking their Spots
UCLA has been efficient on the basepaths this year, stealing 21 bases as a team against just four caught stealings. At 84%, they are one of just two Pac-12 teams over the 80% threshold (Arizona, 91%). The Bruins were 4-4 in stolen bases last weekend against Oregon State.

Flashing The Leather
A year after ranking third in the country with a .982 fielding percentage, UCLA has been a standout on the defensive side of the ball again in 2019. With an identical .982 fielding percentage, the Bruins currently rank fifth nationally. UCLA is the only school nationwide to rank top-five in both fielding percentage and ERA.

Don't Mess With The Bull(pen)
Last week's off-series was an abberation for the UCLA bullpen, which has been one of the team's strongest assets all season. Through 67 1/3 innings, Bruin relievers have combined to record a 2.14 ERA with strong peripherals including 11.9 K/9 and 5.3 hits per nine innings ratios. The pen was up to the task on Sunday against OSU in its toughest test of the year, setting seasons highs with 7 2/3 innings pitched and 12 strikeouts. Junior Kyle Mora has been lights out of the pen for the Bruins, crafting a top-20 national ERA (0.86) while appearing in a league-high 15 games this year.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame
Something about the seventh inning gives the Bruins an extra pep in their step. They are outscoring their opponents 31-4 in the seventh inning for the season, a plus-27 run differential. UCLA has a plus-27 run differential in all other innings combined. The Bruins have scored in the seventh inning in 11 of their 18 games, more than any other single inning. Sac State and Oregon State are the only squads to score against the Bruins in the seventh.

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.

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.