No. 14 UCLA baseball pulled out a 7-6 win in its opening game against Cal Poly on Friday, but the night could have gone a lot more smoothly.
The Bruins (2-3) jumped out to a 5-0 lead over the Mustangs (4-1), putting up three runs in the second and two in the third.
Trouble hit UCLA in the third inning, as an apparent injury kept starting pitcher Grant Dyer from going deep into the game. Coach John Savage pulled Dyer before a pitch was thrown in the third inning.
Dyer was dealing early on, striking out three in his two scoreless innings of work.
In a nightmare fifth inning, the Mustangs scored five runs on four hits to tie the score at 5-5. After sending four pitchers to the hill, the Bruins finally recorded the third out on a rundown after Cal Poly RBI single.
Redshirt freshman catcher Daniel Rosica stepped forward and cut off a throw to the plate. The catcher threw to second and the Bruins retired Mustang second baseman Kyle Marinconz as part of a 7-2-4-6-9 putout.
With the game locked up at 5-5, redshirt senior right fielder Eric Filia put UCLA ahead with an RBI double in the seventh inning. Filia came around to score on junior designated hitter Kort Peterson’s single, and the Bruins went up 7-5.
Cal Poly put up a threat in the bottom of the seventh, scoring a run and cutting the lead to 7-6. With the bases loaded, redshirt junior setup man Tucker Forbes struck out Mustangs freshman center fielder Alex McKenna to end the inning.
Freshman closer Brian Gadsby took over in the ninth, ending the game on a 4-3 double play to record his first career NCAA save.
The Bruins and Mustangs will face off for game two of the series on Saturday at 6 p.m. The game will serve as the second half of a doubleheader for Cal Poly, who will play Michigan at noon.
Compiled by David Gottlieb, Daily Bruin reporter.