Bruins Clinch Arizona Series With 7-5 Saturday Win

Saturday, March 18

Los Angeles, CA

2:00 PM

UCLA

14-3, 4-1

Arizona

12-5, 3-2

Arizona

UCLA

Photo: Jenny Xu

Photo by: Jenny Xu

Bruins Clinch Arizona Series With 7-5 Saturday Win

March 18, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

LOS ANGELES – No. 12 UCLA used a big rally in the fifth inning to notch a 7-5 win over Arizona on Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

The result clinched a series win for the Bruins (14-3, 4-1 Pac-12) after opening the three-game set with a 5-1 triumph on Friday.

The Bruins sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs during the decisive fifth-inning rally, turning a three-run deficit into a 6-3 advantage.

Junior left fielder Carson Yates had the biggest swing of that rally, crushing a 3-1 offering from Arizona's Dawson Netz and putting it into the netting beyond left field for a go-ahead three-run home run.

Junior right fielder JonJon Vaughns and senior catcher Darius Perry added RBI knocks during the inning, which was helped along by three free passes and a pair of wild pitches from Arizona pitchers.

Vaughns then added a solo home run in the seventh to cap the Bruins' offensive production.

UCLA's bullpen combined to toss 6 2/3 innings with one earned run against after starter Alonzo Tredwell was knocked out in the third inning.

Freshman righty Michael Barnett got the first eight outs of the relief relay, striking out a pair while ceding just one run. He did some heavy lifting in the half-inning before UCLA's go-ahead rally, working around an error and a base hit to get out of the inning unscathed and keep the Bruins within striking distance. He was ultimately rewarded with his first-career win.

Senior lefty Jake Saum retired all three batters he faced after entering with on one in the sixth, and freshman righty Cody Delvecchio stood out with a quick 1-2-3 inning in the eighth.

Arizona was led by shortstop Nik McClaughry, who put his team up with a three-run homer in the third. Starting pitcher Bradon Zastrow allowed just one hit his first time through the lineup, but took the loss after allowing four batters to reach during the decisive fifth inning.

UCLA wraps up the series against Arizona on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. PT. Fans are advised to be aware of local street and off-ramp closures due to the 2023 Los Angeles Marathon.