UCLA
10-14, 4-7
Arizona
12-13, 6-5
Bruins Drop Game Two at Arizona, 3-2
March 29, 2024 | Baseball
TUCSON, Ariz. โ Starting pitcher Clark Candiotti fired a complete game and Emilio Corona hit a walk-off sac fly in the bottom of the ninth as Arizona recorded a 3-2 win over UCLA on Friday night at Hi Corbett Field.
The result clinched the series for the Wildcats (12-13, 6-5 Pac-12), who notched last-at-bat wins in each of the first two games of the set against the Bruins (10-14, 4-7).
The game, which finished in just 2 hours and 10 minutes, was a pitcher's duel through and through against Candiotti and UCLA starter Michael Barnett, who allowed just one earned run on four hits over seven innings while striking out five.
The Bruins managed just four hits themselves, but a pair of timely hits from freshman DH Roman Martin allowed UCLA to battle back and erase a 2-0 deficit in the late innings.
First, Martin led off the top of the eighth with a double the opposite way to right field. Later on in the inning, he would score from third after junior shortstop Cody Schrier hit a ball into the 5-6, forcing a high throw from the Arizona shortstop.
The very next inning, Martin stung a grounder up the middle to bring in Duce Gourson from second base and tie the game at 2-2 Gourson had reached on a leadoff HBP, and moved into scoring position with a sac bunt.
Arizona got each of its first three batters aboard in the decisive ninth inning, as a leadoff walk was followed by a throwing error on a sac bunt and an intentional walk to load the bases. After a strikeout from DH Maddox Mihalakis, Corona was able to loft a ball deep enough to center field to bring in the game-winning run on a sac fly.
Barnett turned in a spectacular start for a second consecutive week. He started and ended his day with 1-2-3 innings, and was only damaged to the tune of single runs in the third and the fifth. Among those, the run in the fifth was unearned, and he did a good job to limit the damage at one after a leadoff triple in the third.
Candiotti meanwhile registered a dozen strikeouts against one walk and two hit batters. He received the win, improving to 2-1 on the year.
UCLA and Arizona conclude the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT. The game will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Candiotti, Clark (2-1)
L: Ruff, Rashad (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Martin, Roman 1
RBI: Martin, Roman 1
SH: Cholowsky, Roch 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gourson, Duce 1 ; Martin, Roman 1
HBP: Gourson, Duce 1 ; Vaughns, JonJon 1
Batting:
2B: Summerhill, Brendan 1
3B: Corona, Emilio 1
RBI: Morales, Richie 2 ; Corona, Emilio 1
SH: Breyfogle, Easton 1
SF: Corona, Emilio 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Summerhill, Brendan 1 ; Corona, Emilio 2
SB: Corona, Emilio 1
