Tuesday, May 14
Irvine, CA
6:00 PM
UCLA
at
UCLA at UC Irvine
Jack Stronach (photo: Scott Chandler)
Photo by: Scott Chandler
No. 1 UCLA Faces UC Irvine In Last Midweek of 2019
May 13, 2019 | Baseball
No. 1 UCLA (41-8) vs. UC Irvine (31-15)
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. PT
Location: Irvine, Calif. (Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark)
Audio: UCLA Lean Player
Audio Talent: Tim Wilhelm
No. 1 UCLA heads To Orange County To Face UC Irvine In Final Midweek Of 2019
The No. 1-ranked Bruins (41-8), winners of 20 of their last 22 games, play their final midweek game of the season on Tuesday night, traveling to Orange County for a 6:00 p.m. matchup at UC Irvine (31-15).The Bruins defeated the Anteaters 9-3 on Apr. 9, 2019 at Jackie Robinson Stadium. UCLABruins.com will carry a live audio broadcast of every game this season and fans can follow along on Twitter at @UCLABaseball.
Projected Pitching Matchups
Tuesday, May 14 - 6:00 p.m. PT
UCLA - Felix Rubi, RHP, Jr. (0-0, 1.74 ERA)
UCI - Taylor Rashi, RHP, Sr. (4-0, 0.56 ERA)
The Story So Far
UCLA is 41-8 to start the 2019 campaign and 19-5 in Pac-12 play, winning all 12 of its weekend series, taking two of three in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic, and posting an unbeaten 10-0 record in midweeks. At 41-8, UCLA is second in the country in winning percentage (.837) and has the best record through 49 games in program history, besting the previous mark of 38-11 (2010).
Bruins Remain Consensus No. 1 Team In The Country
After sweeping the series at Washington State, UCLA retained its place at the top of the polls. 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 for the ninth consecutive week. In addition, the Bruins topped the list of Collegiate Baseball for the sixth consecutive week, maintaining their status as the consensus No. 1 team in the country. UCLA jumped to No. 1 in mid-March after taking two of three from defending national champion Oregon State, the first time the Bruins had been atop the rankings since the final polls of 2013. At nine weeks, this is the longest consecutive stretch of being ranked No. 1 nationally in program history.
The Week In Review
UCLA went an undefeated 4-0 last week, beating LBSU at home in a midweek before sweeping WSU on the road.
UCLA has won all 12 of its weekend series this year, the longest streak by the Bruins since the program won 14 straight over the 2014-15 campaigns. The Bruins are the only team in Division I who has yet to drop a weekend series in 2019.
UCLA Takes Over National Lead In ERA
For the third consecutive week, UCLA is leading the nation in team ERA. The Bruins enter the week with a 2.70 ERA after surrendering one earned run or fewer in three of the last four games. UCLA also ranks among the nation's best in hits allowed per nine innings (6.3, second) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.16, sixth). UCLA has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 32 of its 49 games this season (65%). Were the season to end today, UCLA's ERA would be the fifth-best in program history.
Mitchell Named Pac-12 Pitcher Of The Week
After an explosive week at the top of the lineup, UCLA sophomore outfielder Garrett Mitchell was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week. It was the first league weekly honor in his career and UCLA's 64th all-time. The Bruins have had the Pac-12 Pitcher or Player of the week in six of the last nine weeks. Mitchell was 11-19 last week, collecting multiple hits in all four games. He had three extra-base hits in a 2-1 win over LBSU, homered to lead off the first game of the WSU series, and ended the week with six runs scored and four stolen bases in as many attempts.
Mitchell Tearing It Up
Mitchell has been tearing the cover off the ball during a nine-game hitting streak. He has multiple hits in eight of those games - including a trio of three-hit games and a pair of four-hit games - posting a 24-40 overall line (.600) with nine extra-base hits including two home runs. Mitchell has scored at least one run during each game of the hitting streak, coming across the plate a total of 16 times.
Bruin Starters On A Roll
A huge part of UCLA's success in the past weeks has been the dominance of its starting pitchers. Bruin starters have allowed two earned runs or fewer in 13 of the last 15 games, and one earned run or fewer in 11 of 15. The current weekend rotation of Ryan Garcia, Jack Ralston, and Jesse Bergin is a combined 21-0 with 234 strikeouts in 206 innings.
Fastest To 40
UCLA's win over Washington State on May 11 represented the team's 40th win of the year in the 48th game of the season, making the 2019 Bruins the quickest to 40 wins in program history. The previous mark was held by the 2010 club, which needed 51 games to get to 40 victories.
The Bats Came Out In Washington
UCLA's bats were very hot in Pullman, as the team scored 29 runs over the weekend, a season-best for a three-game series. The Bruins batted .360, had 17 extra-base hits (5.6 per game), and eight home runs. Two-thirds of the UCLA lineup hit .333 or better for the three-game set (Mitchell, Strumpf, Toglia, Kreidler, McLain, Cardenas).
Race For The Pac-12 Title Heats Up
The Bruins' sweep of the Cougars moved them into a three-way tie for first place in the Pac-12 Conference with two weekends of league play remaining. The two teams tied with UCLA - Stanford and Oregon State - face off this weekend in Northern California. The Bruins are seeking their fourth Pac-12 title in the John Savage era, having previously finished atop the league in 2011, 2012 (co-champions), and 2015.
Midweek Notes
UCLA is an undefeated 10-0 in midweeks this season, going 5-0 at home and 5-0 on the road. Garrett Mitchell (.488/.531/.744), Noah Cardenas (.364/.464/.409), and Chase Strumpf (.316/.447/.447) have all feasted on midweek pitching this year. As a team, the Bruins are outhitting their opponents .284 to .182 in midweeks while holding a 1.74 to 4.79 ERA advantage. The Bruins are staying local for their entire midweek slate in 2019, as their furthest opponent is UC Irvine (52 miles). UCLA is seeking an undefeated record in midweeks for the first time since 2012 (11-0).
Toglia In A Groove
UCLA junior first baseman Michael Toglia has been seeing the ball well lately, collecting multiple hits in six of his last seven games and going 13-34 (.382) overall. That spree has raised his average 17 points to .303, bringing him over the .300 mark for the first time all year. He has five home runs since Apr. 27, giving him a team-high 11 on the year. Toglia also had 11 home runs as a sophomore in 2018, making him the first Bruin since 2000 to log double-digit home runs in consecutive seasons (Chase Utley, Garrett Atkins, and Bill Scott all accomplished the feat in 1999-2000).
To Be The Best, You Have To Beat The Best
So far in 2019, the Bruins have played - and won - five series against ranked teams, including three currently in the top-10. The Bruins have won series against No. 3 Stanford, No. 6 Georgia Tech, and No. 7 East Carolina University. The Bruins had beaten four top-10 teams - the only club in the country to do so - until Oregon State dropped to No. 11 last week.
Last Time Out Against UC Irvine
UCLA jumped out to a six-run lead by the end of the third inning, eventually defeating UCI 9-3 on Apr. 9 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in the previous matchup between the two teams this year. Garrett Mitchell and Michael Toglia had three hits apiece to pace the Bruin offense, with the latter sparking multi-run rallies with a trio of leadoff singles. Jesse Bergin earned the win with five innings of two-run ball, improving his record to 4-0 at the time. The Bruin bullpen held UCI to a single run over the final four innings of the game, including a string of nine consecutive batters sent down following a leadoff walk in the sixth.
History against The Anteaters
The Bruins are 56-33-1 all-time against UC Irvine, including a 22-12 mark under head coach John Savage. The Bruins have lost the season series to UCI just once since 2010, a feat that will live on as the worst UCLA can do this year is split.
Holden' It Down At The End Of The Game
Sophomore closer Holden Powell has been one of college baseball's top closers this year, leading to his inclusion on the Preseason and Midseason NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch Lists. He paces the Pac-12 with 14 saves, third-most in UCLA single season history and the most since David Berg's NCAA-record 24 in 2013. Since Mar. 17, he's allowed just three earned runs over a span of 24 innings, accruing 31 strikeouts in that time compared to just eight hits.
Pitching And Defense Is The Name Of the Game
A year after ranking third in the country with a .982 fielding percentage, UCLA is back in the top-10 this year at .982 (fifth). The Bruins are the only team in the country to rank top-10 in both fielding percentage and ERA.
Cardenas Figuring It Out As A Freshman
Noah Cardenas has been one of UCLA's hottest hitters in the last few weeks, a trend which was underscored by his monster performance in the desert against ASU. Cardenas started all three games of that series - a career first - and capitalized on that playing time by posting a 9-13 line (.692) with five runs scored. He went 5-5 on Saturday and then singled in his first three at-bats Sunday, giving him hits in five straight plate appearances. He "cooled off" at Washington State, going 3-9 and scoring five runs. Since Apr. 7, he's batting .500 (29-58). He now leads the team with a .396 overall average this season.
Hot At Home
UCLA has won 24 of 28 home games so far this year, right in line with the program's .747 winning percentage (65-22) at Jackie Robinson Stadium since the start of the 2017 season. The Bruins have won 16 consecutive series - including nine Pac-12 sets - on their home field dating back to April 21-23, 2017 (Oregon State).
Grab Some Pine
The UCLA pitching staff has proven adept at punching out batters this year, leading the Pac-12 and ranking seventh in the nation with 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings. The Bruins have punched out at least 10 batters in 30 of their 49 games, and have three of the top-10 strikeout pitchers in the Pac-12, including Ryan Garcia (82, third), Jack Ralston (78, fourth), and Jesse Bergin (74, sixth).
Offense Heats Up
Over the last month, UCLA is averaging 7.2 runs per game and has four regulars hitting .300 or better: Noah Cardenas (.468), Garrett Mitchell (.419), Michael Toglia (.360), and Chase Strumpf (.339). For the season, UCLA ranks in the top-five league-wide in batting average (.294, fourth), on-base percentage (.387, third), slugging (.466, fifth), runs (320, third), and home runs (47, fifth).
Steady Strumpf
UCLA Preseason All-American second baseman Chase Strumpf has been a steadying force in the middle of the lineup. Starting on Mar. 1, Strumpf reached base in 36 consecutive games, the longest streak recorded by a Bruin so far in 2019. That stretch was snapped on May 7 against LBSU. He's been held off base in just three games all season, and has a hit in 40 of 49 games, the most of any Bruin.
Feeling A Draft
UCLA was well-represented in Baseball America's list of Midseason Top-400 Draft Prospects, as six current players and six commits were included. Current Bruins included Chase Strumpf (No. 35), Michael Toglia (62), Ryan Garcia (116), Ryan Kreidler (158), Jack Ralston (209), and Jeremy Ydens (295). UCLA commits included on the list were Corbin Carroll (No. 6), Evan Fitterer (97), Emanuel Dean (150), Adrian Chaidez (281), Michael Curialle (282), and Joshua Hahn (309).
Triple Threat
The Bruins have legged out 22 triples this season, a figure which ranks sixth nationally and second in the Pac-12. Five separate Bruins have multiple three-baggers, led by Matt McLain's six (seventh nationally, tied for the most by a Bruin since 1988). Garrett Mitchell has five, and Michael Toglia has four.
Don't Mess With The Bull(pen)
UCLA's bullpen has been one of the team's strongest assets all season. Through 166 2/3 innings, Bruin relievers have combined to record a 2.37 ERA with strong peripherals including 11.1 K/9 and 5.6 hits per nine innings ratios. The Bruin bullpen has gone unscored upon 24 times in 49 games this year. Standouts include Kyle Mora (NCAA-high 37 appearances this year), Holden Powell (league-leading 14 saves), and Nate Hadley (8-1, 3.94 hits per nine innings).
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 61-12 in the seventh inning for the season, a plus-49 run differential. UCLA's next-best single-inning differential is the second (41-16, plus-25). The Bruins are outscoring their opponents 320-156 overall for the year.
WHIP It Good
At 1.06, UCLA enters the weekend with the lowest WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) in the country. The Bruins have posted a sub-1.00 WHIP 24 times in 49 games, including in 10 of the first 11 games of the year. Ryan Garcia (0.88) and Nate Hadley (0.91) have the lowest WHIPs on the team among active pitchers.
Comeback Kids
UCLA has proven undaunted when facing a deficit this season, as 18 of the team's 41 wins this season have been of the come-from-behind variety (44%).
Off To A Good Start
UCLA is an unbeaten 15-0 this season when scoring in the first inning. Similarly, the Bruins are 28-3 (.903 winning percentage) when scoring first, compared to a 13-5 (.722) mark when the opposition gets on the board first.
Shutting Them Out
UCLA's 10-0 blanking of Washington St. on May 11 was the team's ninth of the year, moving them into a tie for the national lead in shutouts with Tennessee. The Bruins have a shutout in seven of their 12 weekend series and in two midweeks.The last time the Bruins had as many as nine shutouts was 2015.
Nailing It Down
The Bruins have been rock-steady at the back end of games this year, posting a 37-0 record when leading after eight innings. UCLA is 34-1 when leading after seven, suffering its first and only loss in such a scenario on May 5 at ASU.
Savage Records Pair of Milestone Wins in 2019
UCLA head coach John Savage has secured a pair of milestone wins during the 2019 season, earning his 500th at UCLA and 600th overall. His 500th with the Bruins came after a Friday night victory over Oregon State on Mar. 15, making him just the third bench boss in program history to reach that benchmark. Savage then notched his 600th overall after topping East Carolina University 7-5 on Apr. 12.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 - 6:00 p.m. PT
Location: Irvine, Calif. (Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark)
Audio: UCLA Lean Player
Audio Talent: Tim Wilhelm
No. 1 UCLA heads To Orange County To Face UC Irvine In Final Midweek Of 2019
The No. 1-ranked Bruins (41-8), winners of 20 of their last 22 games, play their final midweek game of the season on Tuesday night, traveling to Orange County for a 6:00 p.m. matchup at UC Irvine (31-15).The Bruins defeated the Anteaters 9-3 on Apr. 9, 2019 at Jackie Robinson Stadium. UCLABruins.com will carry a live audio broadcast of every game this season and fans can follow along on Twitter at @UCLABaseball.
Projected Pitching Matchups
Tuesday, May 14 - 6:00 p.m. PT
UCLA - Felix Rubi, RHP, Jr. (0-0, 1.74 ERA)
UCI - Taylor Rashi, RHP, Sr. (4-0, 0.56 ERA)
The Story So Far
UCLA is 41-8 to start the 2019 campaign and 19-5 in Pac-12 play, winning all 12 of its weekend series, taking two of three in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic, and posting an unbeaten 10-0 record in midweeks. At 41-8, UCLA is second in the country in winning percentage (.837) and has the best record through 49 games in program history, besting the previous mark of 38-11 (2010).
Bruins Remain Consensus No. 1 Team In The Country
After sweeping the series at Washington State, UCLA retained its place at the top of the polls. 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 for the ninth consecutive week. In addition, the Bruins topped the list of Collegiate Baseball for the sixth consecutive week, maintaining their status as the consensus No. 1 team in the country. UCLA jumped to No. 1 in mid-March after taking two of three from defending national champion Oregon State, the first time the Bruins had been atop the rankings since the final polls of 2013. At nine weeks, this is the longest consecutive stretch of being ranked No. 1 nationally in program history.
The Week In Review
UCLA went an undefeated 4-0 last week, beating LBSU at home in a midweek before sweeping WSU on the road.
- UCLA outlasted Long Beach State to claim a 2-1 walk-off win in 12 innings on Tuesday night. Michael Toglia scored the game-winning run, reaching on a dropped pop-up to lead off the frame, moving to third on a Jake Pries double, and scoring on a passed ball. Bruin pitchers combined to allow just four hits in 12 innings. Felix Rubi allowed one hit and one run over five innings in his debut NCAA start, then the UCLA bullpen shut out the Dirtbags the rest of the way. Standouts included Kyle Mora (3 scoreless IP), Nate Hadley (1-2-3 seventh), and Holden Powell (two scoreless innings, earned the win). Garrett Mitchell was UCLA's primary offensive weapon, going 3-4 with three extra-base hits.
- After trading single runs in both of the first two innings, UCLA pulled away and outscored WSU 4-0 the rest of the way to claim a 6-2 win in the series opener at Bailey-Brayton Field. Garrett Mitchell led off the game with a homer for the Bruins, bashing an 0-2 breaking ball over the right field fence. Michael Toglia added a double and a triple, and Ryan Garcia allowed just two runs (one earned) over his eight innings of work. Garcia and Kyle Mora - who threw a scoreless ninth - limited WSU to two hits over the final seven frames of the contest.
- UCLA dominated WSU on Saturday, winning 10-0 to clinch the series. The Bruins hit four home runs as a team, while Jack Ralston struck out a career-high 12 and gave up just four hits over seven shutout innings. He was overwhelming in the middle innings, retiring nine straight and striking out seven between the fifth and seventh innings. Ryan Kreidler was 3-4 and finished a triple short of the cycle to pace the Bruin offense, but five separate UCLA players finished with multiple hits. Freshman southpaw Daniel Colwell made his NCAA debut in the win, throwing a scoreless ninth.
- The Bruins completed the sweep on Sunday, emerging victorious by a score of 13-10 in a see-saw series finale. The Bruins gave up six runs in the bottom of the fourth, but posted five-spots in both the fourth and seventh innings to win the game, which featured four lead changes. Matt McLain homered twice in the game, giving him three big flies on the weekend, and the Bruins had 17 hits as a team, second-most on the year. Michael Toglia was 3-5, Garrett Mitchell was 4-6, and Chase Strumpf reached base four times. Nate Hadley settled down the game on the pitching side for the Bruins, throwing 3.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win, his eighth of the year.
UCLA has won all 12 of its weekend series this year, the longest streak by the Bruins since the program won 14 straight over the 2014-15 campaigns. The Bruins are the only team in Division I who has yet to drop a weekend series in 2019.
UCLA Takes Over National Lead In ERA
For the third consecutive week, UCLA is leading the nation in team ERA. The Bruins enter the week with a 2.70 ERA after surrendering one earned run or fewer in three of the last four games. UCLA also ranks among the nation's best in hits allowed per nine innings (6.3, second) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.16, sixth). UCLA has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 32 of its 49 games this season (65%). Were the season to end today, UCLA's ERA would be the fifth-best in program history.
Mitchell Named Pac-12 Pitcher Of The Week
After an explosive week at the top of the lineup, UCLA sophomore outfielder Garrett Mitchell was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week. It was the first league weekly honor in his career and UCLA's 64th all-time. The Bruins have had the Pac-12 Pitcher or Player of the week in six of the last nine weeks. Mitchell was 11-19 last week, collecting multiple hits in all four games. He had three extra-base hits in a 2-1 win over LBSU, homered to lead off the first game of the WSU series, and ended the week with six runs scored and four stolen bases in as many attempts.
Mitchell Tearing It Up
Mitchell has been tearing the cover off the ball during a nine-game hitting streak. He has multiple hits in eight of those games - including a trio of three-hit games and a pair of four-hit games - posting a 24-40 overall line (.600) with nine extra-base hits including two home runs. Mitchell has scored at least one run during each game of the hitting streak, coming across the plate a total of 16 times.
Bruin Starters On A Roll
A huge part of UCLA's success in the past weeks has been the dominance of its starting pitchers. Bruin starters have allowed two earned runs or fewer in 13 of the last 15 games, and one earned run or fewer in 11 of 15. The current weekend rotation of Ryan Garcia, Jack Ralston, and Jesse Bergin is a combined 21-0 with 234 strikeouts in 206 innings.
Fastest To 40
UCLA's win over Washington State on May 11 represented the team's 40th win of the year in the 48th game of the season, making the 2019 Bruins the quickest to 40 wins in program history. The previous mark was held by the 2010 club, which needed 51 games to get to 40 victories.
The Bats Came Out In Washington
UCLA's bats were very hot in Pullman, as the team scored 29 runs over the weekend, a season-best for a three-game series. The Bruins batted .360, had 17 extra-base hits (5.6 per game), and eight home runs. Two-thirds of the UCLA lineup hit .333 or better for the three-game set (Mitchell, Strumpf, Toglia, Kreidler, McLain, Cardenas).
Race For The Pac-12 Title Heats Up
The Bruins' sweep of the Cougars moved them into a three-way tie for first place in the Pac-12 Conference with two weekends of league play remaining. The two teams tied with UCLA - Stanford and Oregon State - face off this weekend in Northern California. The Bruins are seeking their fourth Pac-12 title in the John Savage era, having previously finished atop the league in 2011, 2012 (co-champions), and 2015.
Midweek Notes
UCLA is an undefeated 10-0 in midweeks this season, going 5-0 at home and 5-0 on the road. Garrett Mitchell (.488/.531/.744), Noah Cardenas (.364/.464/.409), and Chase Strumpf (.316/.447/.447) have all feasted on midweek pitching this year. As a team, the Bruins are outhitting their opponents .284 to .182 in midweeks while holding a 1.74 to 4.79 ERA advantage. The Bruins are staying local for their entire midweek slate in 2019, as their furthest opponent is UC Irvine (52 miles). UCLA is seeking an undefeated record in midweeks for the first time since 2012 (11-0).
Toglia In A Groove
UCLA junior first baseman Michael Toglia has been seeing the ball well lately, collecting multiple hits in six of his last seven games and going 13-34 (.382) overall. That spree has raised his average 17 points to .303, bringing him over the .300 mark for the first time all year. He has five home runs since Apr. 27, giving him a team-high 11 on the year. Toglia also had 11 home runs as a sophomore in 2018, making him the first Bruin since 2000 to log double-digit home runs in consecutive seasons (Chase Utley, Garrett Atkins, and Bill Scott all accomplished the feat in 1999-2000).
To Be The Best, You Have To Beat The Best
So far in 2019, the Bruins have played - and won - five series against ranked teams, including three currently in the top-10. The Bruins have won series against No. 3 Stanford, No. 6 Georgia Tech, and No. 7 East Carolina University. The Bruins had beaten four top-10 teams - the only club in the country to do so - until Oregon State dropped to No. 11 last week.
Last Time Out Against UC Irvine
UCLA jumped out to a six-run lead by the end of the third inning, eventually defeating UCI 9-3 on Apr. 9 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in the previous matchup between the two teams this year. Garrett Mitchell and Michael Toglia had three hits apiece to pace the Bruin offense, with the latter sparking multi-run rallies with a trio of leadoff singles. Jesse Bergin earned the win with five innings of two-run ball, improving his record to 4-0 at the time. The Bruin bullpen held UCI to a single run over the final four innings of the game, including a string of nine consecutive batters sent down following a leadoff walk in the sixth.
History against The Anteaters
The Bruins are 56-33-1 all-time against UC Irvine, including a 22-12 mark under head coach John Savage. The Bruins have lost the season series to UCI just once since 2010, a feat that will live on as the worst UCLA can do this year is split.
Holden' It Down At The End Of The Game
Sophomore closer Holden Powell has been one of college baseball's top closers this year, leading to his inclusion on the Preseason and Midseason NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch Lists. He paces the Pac-12 with 14 saves, third-most in UCLA single season history and the most since David Berg's NCAA-record 24 in 2013. Since Mar. 17, he's allowed just three earned runs over a span of 24 innings, accruing 31 strikeouts in that time compared to just eight hits.
Pitching And Defense Is The Name Of the Game
A year after ranking third in the country with a .982 fielding percentage, UCLA is back in the top-10 this year at .982 (fifth). The Bruins are the only team in the country to rank top-10 in both fielding percentage and ERA.
Cardenas Figuring It Out As A Freshman
Noah Cardenas has been one of UCLA's hottest hitters in the last few weeks, a trend which was underscored by his monster performance in the desert against ASU. Cardenas started all three games of that series - a career first - and capitalized on that playing time by posting a 9-13 line (.692) with five runs scored. He went 5-5 on Saturday and then singled in his first three at-bats Sunday, giving him hits in five straight plate appearances. He "cooled off" at Washington State, going 3-9 and scoring five runs. Since Apr. 7, he's batting .500 (29-58). He now leads the team with a .396 overall average this season.
Hot At Home
UCLA has won 24 of 28 home games so far this year, right in line with the program's .747 winning percentage (65-22) at Jackie Robinson Stadium since the start of the 2017 season. The Bruins have won 16 consecutive series - including nine Pac-12 sets - on their home field dating back to April 21-23, 2017 (Oregon State).
Grab Some Pine
The UCLA pitching staff has proven adept at punching out batters this year, leading the Pac-12 and ranking seventh in the nation with 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings. The Bruins have punched out at least 10 batters in 30 of their 49 games, and have three of the top-10 strikeout pitchers in the Pac-12, including Ryan Garcia (82, third), Jack Ralston (78, fourth), and Jesse Bergin (74, sixth).
Offense Heats Up
Over the last month, UCLA is averaging 7.2 runs per game and has four regulars hitting .300 or better: Noah Cardenas (.468), Garrett Mitchell (.419), Michael Toglia (.360), and Chase Strumpf (.339). For the season, UCLA ranks in the top-five league-wide in batting average (.294, fourth), on-base percentage (.387, third), slugging (.466, fifth), runs (320, third), and home runs (47, fifth).
Steady Strumpf
UCLA Preseason All-American second baseman Chase Strumpf has been a steadying force in the middle of the lineup. Starting on Mar. 1, Strumpf reached base in 36 consecutive games, the longest streak recorded by a Bruin so far in 2019. That stretch was snapped on May 7 against LBSU. He's been held off base in just three games all season, and has a hit in 40 of 49 games, the most of any Bruin.
Feeling A Draft
UCLA was well-represented in Baseball America's list of Midseason Top-400 Draft Prospects, as six current players and six commits were included. Current Bruins included Chase Strumpf (No. 35), Michael Toglia (62), Ryan Garcia (116), Ryan Kreidler (158), Jack Ralston (209), and Jeremy Ydens (295). UCLA commits included on the list were Corbin Carroll (No. 6), Evan Fitterer (97), Emanuel Dean (150), Adrian Chaidez (281), Michael Curialle (282), and Joshua Hahn (309).
Triple Threat
The Bruins have legged out 22 triples this season, a figure which ranks sixth nationally and second in the Pac-12. Five separate Bruins have multiple three-baggers, led by Matt McLain's six (seventh nationally, tied for the most by a Bruin since 1988). Garrett Mitchell has five, and Michael Toglia has four.
Don't Mess With The Bull(pen)
UCLA's bullpen has been one of the team's strongest assets all season. Through 166 2/3 innings, Bruin relievers have combined to record a 2.37 ERA with strong peripherals including 11.1 K/9 and 5.6 hits per nine innings ratios. The Bruin bullpen has gone unscored upon 24 times in 49 games this year. Standouts include Kyle Mora (NCAA-high 37 appearances this year), Holden Powell (league-leading 14 saves), and Nate Hadley (8-1, 3.94 hits per nine innings).
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 61-12 in the seventh inning for the season, a plus-49 run differential. UCLA's next-best single-inning differential is the second (41-16, plus-25). The Bruins are outscoring their opponents 320-156 overall for the year.
WHIP It Good
At 1.06, UCLA enters the weekend with the lowest WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) in the country. The Bruins have posted a sub-1.00 WHIP 24 times in 49 games, including in 10 of the first 11 games of the year. Ryan Garcia (0.88) and Nate Hadley (0.91) have the lowest WHIPs on the team among active pitchers.
Comeback Kids
UCLA has proven undaunted when facing a deficit this season, as 18 of the team's 41 wins this season have been of the come-from-behind variety (44%).
Off To A Good Start
UCLA is an unbeaten 15-0 this season when scoring in the first inning. Similarly, the Bruins are 28-3 (.903 winning percentage) when scoring first, compared to a 13-5 (.722) mark when the opposition gets on the board first.
Shutting Them Out
UCLA's 10-0 blanking of Washington St. on May 11 was the team's ninth of the year, moving them into a tie for the national lead in shutouts with Tennessee. The Bruins have a shutout in seven of their 12 weekend series and in two midweeks.The last time the Bruins had as many as nine shutouts was 2015.
Nailing It Down
The Bruins have been rock-steady at the back end of games this year, posting a 37-0 record when leading after eight innings. UCLA is 34-1 when leading after seven, suffering its first and only loss in such a scenario on May 5 at ASU.
Savage Records Pair of Milestone Wins in 2019
UCLA head coach John Savage has secured a pair of milestone wins during the 2019 season, earning his 500th at UCLA and 600th overall. His 500th with the Bruins came after a Friday night victory over Oregon State on Mar. 15, making him just the third bench boss in program history to reach that benchmark. Savage then notched his 600th overall after topping East Carolina University 7-5 on Apr. 12.
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INF
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INF/OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballUCLA Baseball Postgame - Coach Savage & Players vs. LSU (June 17, 2025)
Tuesday, June 17
UCLA Baseball Postgame - Coach Savage & Players vs. Arkansas (June 17, 2025)
Tuesday, June 17
UCLA Baseball Postgame - Coach Savage & Players vs. Murray State (June 14, 2025)
Saturday, June 14
Highlights - UCLA Baseball vs. Murray State (June 14, 2025)
Saturday, June 14