Gonzaga University
#2 UCLA
Zags Keep Close in Loss at No. 2 UCLA
5/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score
LOS ANGELES—The Gonzaga University baseball squad stayed within striking distance of #2 UCLA in Friday night's series opener between the two squads, stranding numerous Bruin runners and sending the tying run to the plate multiple times before ultimately falling 3-0 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Bruins first marked the scoresheet in the third inning, getting two runs in the frame. Gonzaga starter Andrew Sopko retired the first two batters, striking out Brett Stephens for the first and getting Kevin Kramer to ground out to first for the second. The next four batters each reached via a hit, however, with Luke Persico picking up an RBI double and Chris Keck bringing him home with single to left. Sopko then got the Bruins to ground out of the inning, stranding two batters on base.
UCLA got one more in the fourth with another RBI double, but the Zags turned an unusual double play to halt the damage. After Stephens hit an RBI double down the right field line, Kramer walked and gave the Bruins another baserunner but was erased at home on the next play. Ty Moore hit a grounder to third base, which Mitchell Gunsolus collected and stomped the bag on for the force on Stephens. His throw across the diamond to get Moore went up the first base line, but Taylor Jones collected the toss and fired home to throw out Kramer, who tried to score from first base on the play. The double play, GU's first of two on the night, ended the frame.
Gonzaga's bats were stymied between the third and seventh innings as UCLA starter James Kaprielian retired 16 in a row at one point. Designated hitter Cory LeBrun, however, broke up that stretch by drawing a four-ball walk. Justin Jacobs followed that up with another walk, giving the Zags two men on with one out. LeBrun advanced to third with a fielder's choice from Jeff Bohling, but the threat was ended with a strikeout.
In the next frame, Gonzaga again brought the tying run to the plate. After the first two batters were retired, Gunsolus picked up a first-pitch single with a hard-hit shot to center field. In the next at bat, Sam Brown collected his second hit of the night with a single up the middle, giving GU runners on first and second and chasing Kaprielian from the game. The hot-hitting Jones represented the tying run at the plate to face relief pitcher Grant Dyer, but he grounded out to short and ended the inning.
After giving up three hits in the bottom of the eighth, Gonzaga reliever Calvin LeBrun worked out of the frame without allowing a run. With two on and no outs, Harris picked off the lead runner at second base, and the Bruins themselves took out a runner after Trent Chatterton was hit by a batted ball off first base. LeBrun got the next UCLA batter of the game to ground out to second, ending the inning.
The Zags also saw a hit erased in the top of the ninth inning without trimming the lead. Cory LeBrun led the frame off with a single up the middle, but a double-play took him off the base paths, and a strikeout ended the game at 3-0 in favor of the home side.
Bulldog Bites
- Brown tallied two hits tonight, collecting multiple hits for the 15th time this season. That gives him the team lead for most multi-hit games, passing Gunsolus cleanly for the title. The outfielder has collected two hits in 11 of those games and three hits in the other four. Overall, he's second on the team with a .327 batting average and 53 hits.
- A lefty reliever, LeBrun held the Bruins scoreless in after entering the game before the bottom of the sixth. He allowed five hits and two walks, but he also worked his way out of jams by getting the Bruins to strand four runners, forcing one shallow popup and one double play. The scoreless relief outing is LeBrun's longest of three scoreless outings of the year. It's also his second-longest relief appearance, just one out shy of a 3.1-inning appearance March 24 versus Washington. He lowered his ERA 42 points with the three shutout innings.
- After taking the loss, Sopko saw his five-game win streak stopped. The junior had entered the game winning his last five starts dating back to March 20 versus BYU. During that stretch, Sopko had allowed just five runs in 33.2 innings for a 1.34 ERA. Counting tonight's outing of two earned runs in 5.0 innings, he's still registered just a 1.63 ERA and 36 strikeouts in his last six starts.
- With the loss to No. 2 UCLA, Gonzaga is now 4-4 on the year against ranked squads this season. They won two games apiece against No. 25 Tulane and No. 25 San Diego and also have losses to Tulane, San Diego, and No. 9/8 Arizona State. The Bruins are the highest ranked squad the Bulldogs have faced this season, but the Zags have also faced a No. 2 team in the country in each of the last two seasons.
Mac Talk - Thoughts from Gonzaga head coach Mark Machtolf
"We did a good job battling tonight. They didn't give us a ton of great pitches to hit, but we fought until the last out like we've always done. We scattered some hits on defense but pitched effectively in order to keep it a three-run game. This gives us momentum knowing that we are going to hang with these guys."
Next Up
Gonzaga (20-22) will play game two of the three-game stint at No. 2 UCLA on Saturday, May 2, again at Jackie Robinson Stadium. First pitch for the game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., and RHP Brandon Bailey is scheduled to get the nod for Gonzaga. UCLA will counter with LHP Grant Watson.
