No. 1 UCLA Bests Cal 6-1 in Rubber Match

Saturday, April 20

Los Angeles, CA

2:00 PM

UCLA

30-7, 11-4

California at UCLA

20-14, 8-7

California

UCLA

Jack Ralston allowed just one run while pitching into the seventh of Saturday's 6-1 win over Cal (photo: Scott Chandler)

Photo by: Scott Chandler

No. 1 UCLA Bests Cal 6-1 in Rubber Match

April 20, 2019 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

LOS ANGELES – No. 1 UCLA jumped on Cal for three runs in the third inning of Saturday's rubber match and then held on for a 6-1 victory to clinch the series and hit the 30-win plateau for the season.

The victory improved UCLA's record to 30-7, 11-4. The 2019 Bruins have now equaled the 2010 club as the quickest team in program history to reach the 30-win mark. Cal slipped to 20-14, 8-7.

UCLA collected a healthy 13 hits as a team, led by multi-hit efforts from Noah Cardenas (3-3), Ryan Kreidler (2-4, two doubles, one run, one RBI), Chase Strumpf (2-2, two RBIs), and Jack Stronach (2-4).

The Bruins produced all the offense they would need in a three-run third, stringing together four consecutive hits to start off the inning. Matt McLain, Cardenas, and Garrett Mitchell each singled to ignite the rally, with the latter bringing in the first run of the afternoon. Kreidler followed by driving a double into the right field corner to bring in another run, and then Strumpf capped the inning with a sac fly to left.

UCLA added an insurance run in the sixth as Jake Pries logged a hit-and-run infield single to a vacated second base, scoring Strumpf who had worked a 10-pitch walk to lead off the frame.

The Bruins then put the game away with two runs in the eighth, as Kreidler feasted on the first pitch of the inning for a double before Chase Strumpf and pinch-hitter Jake Hirabayashi recorded RBI singles.

That margin proved to be plenty for UCLA starter Jack Ralston, as the redshirt junior right-hander allowed just one run while pitching into the seventh and striking out six. The Newhall, Calif. native picked up the win to improve to 6-0 on the year.

Despite facing one of the more potent offenses on the west coast, Ralston was rarely in danger against the Bears. Over his first five innings, Cal got a runner into scoring position twice and never had a player advance past second.

He did himself plenty of favors, especially early in the game, throwing a first-pitch strike to all but one of the 13 batters he faced through the fourth. Ralston retired four straight to open the game, and went 1-2-3 in both the first and fourth innings.

The Bears broke through for a run in the seventh inning to break up the shutout. Grant Holman had the big blow of the inning, driving a double into the right-center gap to put two in scoring position with one away. That two-bagger spelled the end of the day for Ralston, and freshman right-hander Jack Filby did a good job to limit the damage to just one run – a Garrett Nielsen sac fly.

As is usually the case, the Bruin bullpen shut it down over the final two innings. Junior righty Kyle Mora gave up just an infield single as part of a quick eighth inning, and then sophomore closer Holden Powell went 1-2-3 in the ninth in a non-save situation.

"It was a very competitive game today, Ralston stepped up in a big moment," said UCLA head coach John Savage. "Just a veteran outing, you have to give him a lot of credit for making pitches at the end of the day. It was a battle all series, it was important for us to three up a three in the third."

After Saturday's victory, UCLA moved to a perfect 5-0 this season in rubber games. The Bruins have won all nine of their weekend series.

Following eight straight games at home, UCLA will head to Orange County on Tuesday night for a 6:00 p.m. matchup at Cal State Fullerton. The Bruins host Utah in Pac-12 action next weekend.