UCLA baseball lost three games in essentially three different ways this weekend against Texas.
The Bruins’ bullpen faltered Friday, the Longhorns’ pitching staff stymied the offense Saturday and the defense miffed crucial plays Sunday.
To coach John Savage, it wasn’t a productive series for UCLA (6-8), who was swept by Texas (12-6) by scores of 5-4, 5-2 and 10-5. The three-game sweep extends the Bruins’ current seven-game losing streak on the road, which dates back to last May.
“We didn’t get what we needed to get out of this weekend,” Savage said. We wanted to get a couple wins, we wanted to get some confidence, and now it’s kind of back to the drawing board.”
On Friday, junior starting pitcher Griffin Canning yielded his first runs of the season, giving up three through seven innings of work.
Despite tallying a season-high four walks and a season-low six strikeouts, the right-hander exited in line for the win thanks to home runs from redshirt sophomore shortstop Nick Valaika and freshman infielder Kyle Cuellar.
But once the bullpen came on to relieve Canning, the tides quickly turned in Texas’ favor.
Senior reliever Scott Burke gave up a two-out single, then sophomore closer Brian Gadsby allowed an RBI-double and walk. Sophomore Justin Hooper relieved Gadsby, walking two straight batters, including the game-winning run.
“I mean that’s been his nemesis really – his command – (for) his first year and a half with us,” Savage said. “He is a different pitcher than he was a year ago, we’ll just have to see if he can pitch out of bullpen or not.”
A majority of the action from Saturday’s game was condensed to just the first four innings.
Freshman pitcher Nick Scheidler, making a spot start for the injured junior Jake Bird, was shelled for five runs through just 2 2/3 innings.
The Bruins scored runs in both the third and fourth innings on errors by the Longhorns, but mustered just two hits overall. Despite drawing 10 walks as a team, UCLA couldn’t cash in on the scoring opportunities, leaving 10 runners on base.
“We didn’t do a really good job yesterday offensively,” Savage said. “But you know, it’s just growing pains. (We’re) still learning about our team and we know we have to get a lot better.”
While the offense has struggled so far this year, pitching and defense have been the team’s backbone. But both faltered in crucial moments Sunday.
Texas scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-4 lead after a throwing error by freshman second baseman Chase Strumpf extended the inning and allowed one run across. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, the Longhorns added four runs to make it 9-4 after an inning that included an error by freshman right fielder Jeremy Ydens and a balk by Burke, which allowed a run to score.
Together, the bullpen surrendered five earned runs on six hits through 4 2/3 Sunday.
“We couldn’t pitch and play defense today,” Savage said. “And that was really the first game we let get away from us this season, so it was disappointing.”
Up next
UCLA will host UC Irvine (9-4) Tuesday in its final game before conference play commences. Savage will send Hooper to the mound for the third time this season. Thus far, the left-hander sports a 4.30 ERA.
The Anteaters are coming off a series win over the No. 1 TCU Horned Frogs.