UCLA
23-6, 0
Stanford
20-5, 0
No. 1 UCLA Tops No. 2 Stanford 10-7 to Clinch Series
April 07, 2019 | Baseball
STANFORD, Calif. – UCLA claimed the win in the first 1-vs-2 series in the Pac-12 since 1988 after using a six-run top of the seventh to post a 10-7 victory over No. 2 Stanford on Sunday afternoon at Sunken Diamond.
After dropping a heartbreaking series opener 3-2 on Friday night, UCLA (23-6, 9-3) responded by posting double-digit runs in back-to-back games against a Stanford (20-5, 7-2) staff that entered the weekend with the best ERA in the country. The Bruins' 23 runs were the most for a series at Stanford since the 2007 season (34).
Junior righty Ryan Garcia struck out a career-high 11 batters in the win, becoming the first Bruin since 2017 to accomplish that feat. He received the decision to move to 3-0 on the year.
Junior infielder Ryan Kreidler and freshman center fielder Matt McLain had the key hits of the decisive rally, with Kreidler inside-outing a double into the right-center field gap to plate a pair while Matt McLain skied a triple off the right field fence to score three more runs. Junior left fielder Jack Stronach added a sac fly to give UCLA's its third six-run inning of the campaign.
The Bruins opened the scoring in the first inning, capitalizing on a misplayed Kreidler tapper. After reaching base, Kreidler advanced to third base on a walk and a passed ball, then came across on a Jake Pries sac fly.
Despite scoring in two of the next three innings, the Bruins found themselves trailing 4-3 after four innings thanks to a solo home run from Stanford shortstop Tim Tawa and a three-run shot from DH Will Matthiessen.
The Bruins went up for good after the six-run outburst In the seventh, which was kick-started by base hits from Noah Cardenas (one of his career-high three hits on the day) and Garrett Mitchell (2-5, two runs). UCLA had five hits in the frame and got another three baserunners on via walks.
UCLA kept up the offensive pressure in the eighth, which led to a crucial insurance run as Michael Toglia (1-3, two runs, double) walked with the bases loaded.
With a five-run lead in hand, the Cardinal made the Bruins sweat a little after a two-run Brandon Wulff home run in the bottom of the eighth made it a 10-7 game. From there, UCLA sophomore closer Holden Powell came in and overpowered Stanford, going five-up, five-down to record the five-out save.
He struck out the first two batters he faced to end the eighth, then needed just eight pitches to mow through the Cardinal in the ninth inning and end the game. Sunday represented the first save of the year where Powell had to pitch more than one inning.
UCLA kept up the offensive pressure all afternoon, putting a runner on in seven of nine innings and getting at least one runner into scoring position in five of nine frames.
Garcia got stronger as the game went along, allowing just one run after Matthiessen's roundtripper in the third. At one point between the fourth and seventh innings, Garcia struck out four straight and six of seven batters. His 11 punchouts were the most by a Bruin since Griffin Canning had a dozen on Apr. 13, 2017 – also at Stanford.
His final line read seven innings pitched, five earned runs allowed, one walk, and 11 strikeouts. UCLA led 10-5 when he departed the game before the eighth inning.
Stanford left-handed starter Erik Miller lasted just four innings on Sunday, surrendering three runs – two earned – while walking three and striking out one. Matthiessen, who had been the starting DH, entered the game in relief and allowed four earned in 2 1/3 innings en route to receiving the loss. Five of the six pitchers used by Stanford on Sunday gave up at least one earned run.
UCLA returns home this week to host a pair of ranked opponents. First, the Bruins welcome No. 19 UC Irvine to Jackie Robinson for a midweek tune-up on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. UCLA hosts No. 14 East Carolina next weekend for a three-game non-conference series consisting of a 6:00 PM Friday night showdown and a Saturday doubleheader.
Here are highlights from today's series-clinching 10-7 win over No. 2 Stanford!#GoBruins | #UCLAvsSTAN pic.twitter.com/EZVfV7KjdG
— UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) April 8, 2019
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Garcia, Ryan (3-0)
L: Matthiessen,Will (1-1)
S: Powell, Holden (8)
Batting:
2B: Kreidler, Ryan 1 ; Toglia, Michael 1
3B: McLain, Matt 1
RBI: Kreidler, Ryan 2 ; Pries, Jake 2 ; Stronach, Jack 1 ; Toglia, Michael 1 ; McLain, Matt 3 ; Hirabayashi, Jake 1
SH: Kreidler, Ryan 1 ; McLain, Matt 1
SF: Pries, Jake 2 ; Stronach, Jack 1 ; Hirabayashi, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mitchell, Garrett 2 ; Kreidler, Ryan 2 ; Strumpf, Chase 1 ; Pries, Jake 1 ; Toglia, Michael 2 ; Cardenas, Noah 2
SB: Kendall, Kevin 1
HBP: Strumpf, Chase 1
Batting:
2B: Handley,Maverick 1
HR: Wulff,Brandon 1 ; Matthiessen,Will 1 ; Tawa,Tim 2
RBI: Wulff,Brandon 2 ; Matthiessen,Will 3 ; Tawa,Tim 2
SH: Handley,Maverick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Handley,Maverick 1 ; Kinamon,Duke 1 ; Wulff,Brandon 1 ; Matthiessen,Will 1 ; Tawa,Tim 2 ; Bellafronto,Nick 1
