UCLA
4-1
Vanderbilt
4-2
Bruins Blanked in Vanderbilt Opener, 6-0
February 24, 2023 | Baseball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. โ The No. 13-ranked UCLA baseball team absorbed a 6-0 loss to Vanderbilt on Friday evening at Hawkins Field.
The result snapped a season-opening four-game win streak for the Bruins (4-1).
Vandy (4-2) did almost all of its offensive damage in a five-run fourth, tacking on an insurance run in the eighth.
Sophomore shortstop Cody Schrier paced the Bruins offensively on Friday, going 2-4. His single back up the middle with two outs in the third represented the first hit from either team to that point in the game.
Unfortunately, the Bruins wouldn't add to the hit column again until the seventh inning, as junior left fielder Carson Yates legged out an infield single with two outs. The next batter โ sophomore DH Jack Holman โ pulled a ground ball inside the first base bag into the right field corner to give the Bruins two runners in scoring position, but UCLA ultimately couldn't break through.
The decisive fourth inning was fueled by bases-loaded singles from Davis Diaz and Enrique Bradfield Jr., which brought in two runs apiece. Another run scored on a chopper towards second base. All of Vandy's runs during that inning came with two outs.
Immediately preceding Diaz's go-ahead knock, the Bruins looked like they might have back-picked a runner at first base off a pitchout. However, video review could not confirm that first baseman Daylen Reyes's sweep tag made contact with the runner.
UCLA starter Jake Brooks was solid his first time through the order, allowing no hits over the first three innings of the game. He was tagged with the loss after the fourth-inning rally, moving his record to 1-1 on the year. The Fountain Valley, Calif. native struck out five over 3 2/3 innings.
Freshman right-hander Michael Barnett was the Bruins' most effective reliever out of the pen, retiring all six batters he faced over a two-inning outing. The Lafayette, Calif. native struck out three.
UCLA and Vanderbilt resume the series on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. PT (1:00 p.m. CT).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carter Holton (1-0)
L: Brooks, Jake (1-1)
S: Bryce Cunningham (2)
Batting:
2B: Holman, Jack 1
Batting:
2B: Jonathan Vastine 1
RBI: Enrique Bradfield Jr 2 ; Davis Diaz 3
Base Running:
RUNS: RJ Schreck 1 ; RJ Austin 2 ; Parker Noland 1 ; Davis Diaz 1 ; Alan Espinal 1
HBP: Calvin Hewett 1 ; RJ Austin 1 ; Parker Noland 1
