No. 15 UCLA Drops Series Opener at Cal, 5-2

Recap, photo courtesy of UCLA

BERKELEY, Calif. – Chase Strumpf hit a solo home run, while Ryan Kreidler drove in a run as the No. 15 UCLA baseball team dropped the series opener at California, 5-2, on Thursday evening from Evans Diamond. Jake Pries and Jack Stronach both went 2-for-4 for the Bruins at the plate.

Cal's Matt Ladrech earned the win allowing two runs on six hits in 6.0 innings, while Tanner Dodson collected his fifth save of the season tossing the final two innings without allowing a run. UCLA's Jake Bird suffered the loss allowing five runs, two earned, on 14 hits with five strikeouts.

California got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning as Jonah Davis chopped a two-out infield single to the shortstop to plate Andrew Vaughn from third base.

The Golden Bears made the score 5-0 in the fourth inning with a four-run frame as Cameron Eden and Vaughn each hit RBI-singles, followed by a two-out, two-run single up the middle by Davis.

UCLA got one run back in the top of the fifth inning as Garrett Mitchell dropped a bunt single down the third-base line and came around to score when Kreidler ripped a two-out double down the left-field line.

The Bruins added one run in the seventh inning when Strumpf blasted a solo home run to lead off the frame. UCLA looked to add more runs in the frame as Stronach and Pries laid down back-to-back bunt singles, but reliever Zayne Patino was able to retire the next three batters to keep it a three-run game.

UCLA (15-6, 5-2) finished the game with two runs on eight hits and one error, while California (15-9, 2-5) ended the game with five runs on 14 hits and no errors.

The second game of this three-game Pac-12 series will take place on Friday (today) at 6 p.m. PT at Evans Diamond.

Game Notes: Chase Strumpf grabbed the team lead with his fifth home run of the season … Ryan Kreidler hit his sixth double of the season and drove in his 12th RBI of the season … Jake Pries and Jack Stronach each tallied their fourth multi-hit game of the season … UCLA is now 2-1 on the road this season … Jake Bird threw 7.0 innings for the third time this season … Bird allowed a career-high 14 hits … Nick Scheidler made his team-high 15th appearance on the mound.