No. 24 UCLA Baseball Defeats No. 3 Oregon State, 5-2
May 1, 2011
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LOS ANGELES - Chris Giovinazzo went 3-for-4 and Adam Plutko recorded six strikeouts through 6.1 innings to lead the No. 24 UCLA baseball team past No. 3 Oregon State, 5-2, before 1,107 at Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Bruins (23-16, 11-7) salvaged the series finale after having lost to the visiting Beavers (32-9, 12-3) on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
Giovinazzo delivered a crucial two-run double to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning to snap a 1-1 tie and initiate a four-run inning for UCLA. Beau Amaral followed with a two-run single through the right side of the infield to extend the Bruins' margin to 5-1.
Plutko (3-3) earned the victory, limiting Oregon State to two runs and nine hits in 6.1 innings. The right-hander from Upland, Calif., secured the win after having not logged a decision in each of his previous four starts, all quality outings.
Right-hander Nick Vander Tuig collected his fifth save, notching two strikeouts in 1.2 innings of relief. Vander Tuig entered the ballgame with UCLA leading, 5-2, and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning. He induced a double play ground ball to end the Beavers' threat and tossed a perfect ninth inning, striking out the final two batters.
Oregon State left-hander Ben Wetzler (5-2) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs and five hits in 5.1 innings. Wetzler issued three walks and struck out two batters.
Trevor Brown went 2-for-4 with one run as UCLA's only player to record multiple hits. Amaral went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
The Beavers received a pair of 3-for-5 efforts from Ryan Barnes and Jared Norris, cranking out a combined 14 hits against UCLA. Kavin Keyes and Danny Hayes each went 2-for-5 for Oregon State.
UCLA took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth before Oregon State tied the game, 1-1, with a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth. The Bruins answered with a four-run sixth inning to lead, 5-1. Oregon State added one run in the top of the seventh to reduce UCLA's advantage to 5-2.
The Bruins return to action at Pepperdine on Tuesday, May 3. Game time at Eddy D. Field Stadium is 3 p.m. Fans can listen to a live audio broadcast of Tuesday's game online, free of charge, at uclabruins.com.
Game Notes: Adam Plutko secured the victory after having not earned a decision in each of his previous four starts - in that five-game span, Plutko has gone 1-0 with a 1.34 ERA, 28 strikeouts and seven walks ... Chris Giovinazzo registered his eighth multiple-hit game of the season, his second three-hit effort this spring ... UCLA remains in a tie with California (11-7 Pac-10) for third place in the Pac-10 Conference ... Oregon State leads the Pac-10 Conference with a 12-3 record and Arizona State is second at 13-5.