UCLA
10-2
Long Beach State
7-4
Holman Helps UCLA Down Long Beach State, 7-6
March 07, 2023 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES โ Sophomore DH Jack Holman posted a game-high five RBIs to help No. 12-ranked UCLA outlast Long Beach State, 7-6, on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Holman provided the biggest swing of a go-ahead four spot in the first inning for UCLA (10-2), hammering an offering from LBSU starter Jake Rons for a three-run homer.
The Dirtbags (7-4) ultimately clawed back to tie the game up at 6-6 in the eighth, but Holman came through for the Bruins once again in the bottom half of the inning, lining a single into right field to plate Duce Gourson for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run.
UCLA sophomore closer Luke Jewett had to make some big pitches to lock down the save in the ninth.
LBSU got a leadoff double from Connor Burns to immediately put the tying run in scoring position, and the Dirtbags really got business after a one-out fly ball off the bat of Alex Champagne banged off the wall in right field for another double.
However, LBSU pinch-runner Justin Roulston didn't get a good read on the fly ball, and was only able to advance to third on the two-bagger.
Jewett made them pay for that baserunning gaffe, striking out two-hitter Ty Borgogno for the second out of the inning. After a long battle with Rocco Peppi, Jewett got the final out of the game on a line drive to the right side that was snagged on a leap by first baseman AJ Salgado.
Holman went 3-3 and reached base four times to pace the UCLA offense. The Bruins also received multi-hit performances from Gourson (2-5, two runs), junior third baseman Kyle Karros (3-5), and junior left fielder Carson Yates (2-5).
The 2-3-4 spots in the order (Gourson-Karros-Holman) combined to go 8-11 with six RBIs and four runs scored.
The Bruins jumped all over Rons to start the game, with each of the first four batters of the first inning reaching base and eventually scoring. Sophomore shortstop Cody Schrier set the table for the rally by working a six-pitch walk, and Gourson and Karros followed with pull-singles to plate Schrier and open the scoring.
Holman made it a four-run first moments later, teeing off on a 1-0 pitch and landing it on the roof of The Giff for a three-run homer. It was his second roundtripper of the year.
The two teams traded runs in the third, with Yates hitting a ball off the batter's eye in center field that was ruled a triple. He eventually came across on a safety squeeze from graduate catcher Knox Loposer. Earlier in the game, Loposer top-spun a liner into left for a double, his first hit as a Bruin after arriving as a grad transfer from Ole Miss.
Long Beach State took advantage of a pair of UCLA defensive miscues to four runs over the sixth and seventh innings.
Most of the damage against came in the sixth. With the bases loaded and two outs, LBSU third baseman Eddie Saldivar hit a sharp comebacker off the foot of UCLA freshman right-hander Cody Delvecchio. After absorbing the grounder, Delvecchio scrambled to collect the ball and throw to first, but his throw got past Salgado and ended up in right field, allowing the Dirtbags to clear the bases.
The next inning, LBSU brought in another run on a leadoff double followed by a UCLA error. Long Beach State would tie the game after Jonathon Long hit a home run on the first pitch of the eighth inning.
Freshman righty Michael Barnett drew the start for UCLA, allowing one earned run over three complete. UCLA used seven pitchers in the contest, with Finn McIlroy (1.1 innings pitched, one earned run, two strikeouts) picking up his first-career win.
LBSU meanwhile used nine pitchers. Erick Diez absorbed the loss for the visitors after allowing base hits to all three hitters he faced in the eighth inning.
UCLA opens Pac-12 play this weekend, traveling to Eugene for a three-game series at Oregon starting on Friday at 4:05 p.m. PT. ย
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McIlroy, Finn (1-0)
L: Diez, Erick (0-1)
S: Jewett, Luke (3)
Batting:
2B: Marinconz, Nick 1 ; Champagne, Alex 1 ; Burns, Connor 2
HR: Long, Jonathon 1
RBI: Borgogno, Ty 1 ; Long, Jonathon 1
SH: Champagne, Alex 1
SF: Borgogno, Ty 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Borgogno, Ty 1 ; Peppi, Rocco 1 ; Long, Jonathon 1 ; Morrissey, Jashia 1 ; Burns, Connor 2
HBP: Morrissey, Jashia 1
Batting:
2B: Loposer, Knox 1
3B: Yates, Carson 1
HR: Holman, Jack 1
RBI: Karros, Kyle 1 ; Holman, Jack 5 ; Loposer, Knox 1
SH: Loposer, Knox 1
SF: Holman, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schrier, Cody 2 ; Gourson, Duce 2 ; Karros, Kyle 1 ; Holman, Jack 1 ; Yates, Carson 1
CS: Salgado, AJ 1 ; Bythewood, Toussaint 1
HBP: Schrier, Cody 1
PO: Salgado, AJ 1
