ECU Swept by UCLA After Double-Header Loss on Saturday in L.A.
UCLA picked up a 3-0 game three win over ECU to sweep the series Saturday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.
It was largely a pitching duel between ECU(25-9) lefty Jake Kuchmaner(3-1) and UCLA right-hander Ryan Garcia(4-0).
The Bruins(27-6) scored first in the bottom of the third when a Kuchmaner wild pitch allowed Matt McLain to scamper in for a run.
Chase Strumpf’s fifth homer of the season on a one out blast to left in the sixth inning expanded the UCLA lead to 2-0. That prompted Cliff Godwin to lift Kuchmaner who went five and a third, yielding four hits and a pair of runs. Trey Benton came on in relief for the Pirates.
Garcia lasted seven innings on the mound for the Bruins. He kept ECU scoreless on just three hits with 13 strikeouts. Kyle Mora then came on in the top of the eighth for UCLA.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Jake Pries slapped a base hit past Spencer Brickhouse at first base and Ryan Kreidler avoided the tag attempt from Pirate catcher Seth Caddell at home plate in the opinion of the umpire and scored to increase the Bruins' lead to 3-0.
That prompted a pitching change when Evan Voliva entered for Trey Benton who lasted two and a third innings giving up two hits and a run with three strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Holden Powell came on to throw a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his tenth save of the year for UCLA.
SERIES GAME TWO
Michael Togila’s three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth broke a 5-5 tie and helped (1)UCLA capture the first game of Saturday’s double-header at Jackie Robinson Stadium and the second game of the weekend series against the East Carolina.
The victory clinched the weekend series between the two ballclubs. Kyle Mora improved to 3-2 with the win for the Bruins while Alec Burleson(2-1), who came on in relief late in the contest, took the loss for (8)ECU.
UCLA got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second frame on a Jarron Silva double down the right field line that brought in the first run of the game. The Bruins added a second run on a Noah Cardenas base hit to right that scored Silva to make it 2-0.
An Alec Burleson RBI double and a base hit from Turner Brown that scored two more runs quickly gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead in the third.
ECU added another run in the fourth inning on a Jack Ralston wild pitch that allowed Brady Lloyd to score and give the Pirates a two run lead.
The Bruins then closed to within one in the bottom of the inning on a Kreidler base hit to center that scored a run.
Garrett Mitchell’s two run homer off of Gavin Williams let UCLA reclaim the lead at 5-4 in the sixth inning.
A two-out double by Turner Brown off of Nate Hadley tied the game for ECU in the seventh.
Tyler Smith got the start on the mound for ECU. Smith went 3.1 innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs with a pair of strikeouts. Gavin Williams, Zack Barnes and eventually Alec Burleson pitched in relief.
Jcck Ralston started for UCLA with Mike Townsend, Nate Hadley and Kyle Mora pitching in relief in game one on Saturday.
After ECU was unable to score in the top fo the ninth, UCLA put a pair of runners on base after a hit batter and a walk by relief pitcherAlec Burleson. Then Michael Toglia’s three run walk-off homer ended the contest at 8-5.
