UCLA
39-8, 17-5
Washington State
10-34, 2-19-1
No. 1 UCLA Defeats WSU to Open Series
May 10, 2019 | Baseball
Pullman, Wash. โ Michael Toglia had a pair of extra-base hits, Garrett Mitchell led off the game with a home run, and Ryan Garcia allowed just one earned in an eight-inning start as No. 1 UCLA recorded a 6-2 win over Washington State in Friday's series opener at Bailey-Brayton Field.
The Bruins (39-8, 17-5 Pac-12) and Cougars (10-34-1, 2-19-1) were tied at two-apiece after the second inning, but UCLA outscored them 4-0 the rest of the way to secure the win. Garcia and junior righty Kyle Mora โ who tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning โ combined to hold WSU to just two hits over the final seven innings of the contest.
UCLA pulled away with a three-spot in the fourth. Freshman catcher Noah Cardenas served as the catalyst for the rally, bouncing one past the pitcher for a leadoff infield single. Cardenas moved to third after a pair of productive outs โ Jake Hirabayashi got him into scoring position with a sac bunt before Matt McLain grounded out to the right side allowing Cardenas to move up โ and then scored on a Mitchell base hit.
The Bruins kept rallying after Mitchell's single โ which produced what turned out to be the game-winning run โ as Ryan Kreidler and Chase Strumpf followed with base hits. The latter led to a pair of runs, as Mitchell scored from third and Ryan Kreidler came all the way around from first after Strumpf's liner to right got under the glove of WSU outfielder Jared Thurber.
Toglia capped the game's scoring an inning later, scoring a fly ball off the wall in left-center field for a leadoff triple, his fourth of the campaign. He came in moments later on a Jack Stronach groundout.
Garcia suffocated the Cougars offense after the Bruins went ahead, allowing just two baserunners from the third inning on.
He recorded 1-2-3 innings in four separate innings, and ended his day by retiring seven consecutive batters before handing the ball to Mora to start the ninth.
Mora needed just nine pitches to retire the side, ending the game by striking out Tyson Guerrero.
Garcia received the win to improve to 7-0 on the year. UCLA's current weekend rotation of Garcia, redshirt junior Jack Ralston, and freshman Jesse Bergin is now a combined 20-0 on the campaign.
WSU used five different pitchers in the contest. Starter Ky Bush was relieved after just two innings by Zane Mills, who ended up getting stuck with the loss after being charged with UCLA's third run. Owen Leonard and Connor Barison combined to hold the Bruins off the board for the final 3 2/3 innings of the game.
UCLA and Washington State resume the series on Saturday afternoon at 2:05. Ralston, the reigning Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week, is scheduled to take the ball for the Bruins.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Garcia, Ryan (7-0)
L: Mills, Zane (1-4)
Batting:
2B: Toglia, Michael 1
3B: Toglia, Michael 1
HR: Mitchell, Garrett 1
RBI: Mitchell, Garrett 2 ; Strumpf, Chase 1 ; Stronach, Jack 1 ; McLain, Matt 1
SH: Hirabayashi, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mitchell, Garrett 2 ; Kreidler, Ryan 1 ; Toglia, Michael 1 ; Cardenas, Noah 2
HBP: Pries, Jake 1 ; Cardenas, Noah 2
Batting:
2B: Montez, Collin 1
RBI: Plew, Dillon 1 ; Gouldsmith, Garrett 1
SF: Gouldsmith, Garrett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sinatro, Danny 1 ; Guerrero, Tyson 1
SB: Sinatro, Danny 1
