UCLA
7-3
Cal State Fullerton
4-5
No. 8 UCLA Handles Cal State Fullerton, 6-1
March 06, 2021 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES – On the strength of six scoreless innings from junior righty Jesse Bergin and a balanced team offensive performance, No. 8 UCLA recorded a 6-1 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium as part of the 2021 College Baseball Classic.
It was the second win for the Bruins (7-3) this week over the Titans (4-5) following a 14-1 midweek rout on Tuesday night in Westwood.
Junior center fielder Kevin Kendall had the top offensive performance for the Bruins, going 3-5 with an RBI. He also scored twice and stole two bases in as many attempts. Kendall wasn't the only one to stand out though, as all six of UCLA's runs were driven in by separate players.
Bergin was excellent on the mound for the second time in three starts this year, earning the victory to improve to 2-1.
The Studio City, Calif. native allowed just two hits and no runs over six complete innings, striking out eight batters over the course of his start. He rarely faced danger, as the Titans only got two runners into scoring position, and neither reached third base.
The Titans' most dangerous scenario against Bergin came in the third, as Cole Urman doubled into the right-center field gap with just one out. However, Bergin bounced back to roll up back-to-back harmless ground balls to strand that runner at second.
Meanwhile, the Bruins went up for good with two runs in the third, then proceeded to score in three of the next four innings to pad the lead.
Sophomore DH Josh Hahn opened the scoring for the Bruins with an RBI single back up the middle in the third, plating Jack Filby who had reached on a leadoff walk. The next batter, sophomore right fielder Michael Curialle, drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run with a sac fly to right field.
The Bruins took control of the game in the fourth, as junior second baseman Mikey Perez and Kendall led off the frame with back-to-back homers, the program's first since Curialle and Matt McLain did so against UC Riverside on Feb. 16, 2020.
Perez's homer – a moon shot over the left field fence – served as his first career roundtripper. Kendall followed by sending a 3-1 offering off the roof of the Giff in right field to make it 4-0 in the Bruins' favor.
UCLA added insurance runs on a sixth-inning McLain sac fly and an RBI single off the bat of senior left fielder Jarron Silva in the seventh.
Bruin relievers Michael Townsend, Kyle Mora, and Jake Brooks closed the door over the game's final three innings. Mora in particular was strong, going three-up, three-down in the eighth inning. Brooks sealed it with a scoreless ninth, allowing just a two-out single.
UCLA concludes the weekend on Sunday with a battle against rival USC. The game is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start from Jackie Robinson Stadium and will be streamed live.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bergin, Jesse (2-1)
L: Luckham, Kyle (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Schell, Austin 1 ; Urman, Cole 1
RBI: Urps, Josh 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schell, Austin 1
SB: Connor, Caden 1
Batting:
2B: Curialle, Michael 1
HR: Kendall, Kevin 1 ; Perez, Mikey 1
RBI: Kendall, Kevin 1 ; McLain, Matt 1 ; Hahn, Josh 1 ; Curialle, Michael 1 ; Silva, Jarron 1 ; Perez, Mikey 1
SF: McLain, Matt 1 ; Curialle, Michael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kendall, Kevin 2 ; Filby, Jack 1 ; McLain, Matt 1 ; Curialle, Michael 1 ; Perez, Mikey 1
SB: Kendall, Kevin 2 ; Karros, Kyle 1
HBP: Filby, Jack 1 ; Cardenas, Noah 1
