The fourth-ranked Arizona baseball team saw its run of eight straight weekend series victories snapped Sunday, as No. 17 UCLA prevailed 6-2 to take two of three games from the Wildcats at Hi Corbett Field.
UCLA (24-8, 10-5) outhit and outpitched Arizona (24-11, 10-5) for the second day in a row. The Bruins collected 11 bases hits a day after registering 20 knocks in a 15-3 rout Saturday night. The Wildcats, who won Friday's opener 4-3, took early 1-0 and 2-1 leads but mustered just six hits in the decisive third game of the series.
The UCLA victory, coupled with a loss by No. 16 Oregon, created a three-way tie for first place in the Pac-12 standings at 10-5 at the midway point of the 30-game schedule. Arizona's conference mark through 15 games represents its best start since the 2007 season, when the Cats also won 10 of their first 15.
The Wildcats scored the game's first run in the bottom of the third. Riley Moore drew a leadoff walk and Johnny Field hit a one out single, and with runners on first and third, Alex Mejia hit a sacrifice fly to deep left to drive in Moore.
The Bruins quickly answered with a run of their own in the top of the fourth. UA starter James Farris issued a leadoff walk to Cody Keefer before Jeff Gelalich singled, and Trevor Brown followed with an RBI single to tie it at 1-1.
Arizona quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the frame, as Seth Mejias-Brean hit a one-out single and, with two outs, stole second base. Trent Gilbert then pulled a single into right field to drive in Mejias-Brean with the go-ahead run.
UCLA took control over the next three innings, though, scoring two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and two more in the seventh.
Beau Amaral hit a run-scoring double and Tyler Heineman added a run-scoring single in the fifth. In the sixth, Amaral notched another RBI on a single, and in the seventh, Gelelich delivered an RBI double before a second run scored on an error.
That was plenty of run support for the Bruins, who used four pitchers to shut down the Wildcats over the final five innings. Starter Zack Weiss pitched six full innings and was charged with two runs but struck out five and allowed only two hits. Weiss earned the victory and improved to 2-1 on the season.
Grant Watson, Ryan Deeter and Scott Griggs each threw one inning out of the bullpen. The trio combined to allow just one hit while striking out two and issuing no walks.
Farris (4-2) took the loss for the Wildcats. The right-hander gave up three runs on six hits to go with two strikeouts and two walks.
Stephen Manthei pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief and yielded a pair of earned runs. Mathew Troupe pitched the final three innings and gave up an unearned run while striking out two and scattering three hits.
