LOS
ANGELES
– The No. 9 UCLA baseball team won its 11th consecutive game, defeating
crosstown rival USC, 7-2, before 6,034 in a non-conference game at Dodger
Stadium on Tuesday night.
The
Bruins (13-3) overcame an early 1-0 deficit with two runs in each of the fourth
and fifth innings and held on for the victory against the Trojans (12-4) in the
third annual Dodgertown Classic presented by Coca-Cola.
Grant
Watson (4-0) limited the Trojans to one run and seven hits in six innings,
recording his third victory in his last three starts. Watson registered five
strikeouts and no walks in his 11 appearance (fourth start) of the season.
Trevor
Brown went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs, and Kevin Williams
went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the Bruins’ two-run fifth inning.
“It
feels great to come out here and get a win,” Brown said. “We were having fun
out there, and to play well just makes the night that much better. It’s always
special to see our fans come out and support us at Dodger Stadium.”
Brandon
Garcia (1-2) absorbed the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits
through four-plus innings. James Roberts led the Trojans at the plate, going
3-for-3 with two runs and one hit-by-pitch.
USC
claimed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on an RBI-single by Garrett
Stubbs.
The
Bruins answered with two runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth.
Brown’s RBI-double in the fourth plated Jeff Gelalich, tying the game at 1-1. A
fielding error with two outs allowed Brown to score from third base, handing
UCLA a 2-1 cushion.
Williams
led off the bottom of the fifth with a home run. Later in the frame, Brown
lined a two-out single to center, scoring Cody Keefer, who had reached with a
single to right field.
UCLA
added one run in the seventh inning and two in the eighth inning, extending its
margin to 7-1.
The
Trojans took advantage of one hit batter and three walks in the ninth inning to
score one run.
UCLA
opens Pac-12 action at home against Arizona State on Friday, March 16. Game
time is 6 p.m. Tickets cost $7 for adults and $5 for youth (ages 16 and under)
at Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
Game
Notes:
UCLA has won 16 of its last 21 games against USC … the Bruins improved to 2-1
in games against USC at the Dodgertown Classic (began in 2010) … UCLA’s 11-game
winning streak is the program’s longest since opening the 2010 season with 22
consecutive victories … through UCLA’s last 10 games, Grant Watson has posted a
1.02 ERA, 4-0 record, limiting the opposition to two runs and 10 hits in 17.2
innings (seven appearances, three starts) … Jeff Gelalich went 1-for-3 with one
run and continues to lead UCLA’s ballclub with a .483 batting average … Gelalich,
Tyler Heineman and Cody Keefer have reached base safely in each of the Bruins’
16 games … Pepperdine defeated UC Irvine, 3-2, at Dodger Stadium earlier in the
afternoon.
