LOS ANGELES – Cody Regis continued his resurgent hitting and Nick Vander Tuig cruised on the mound as 10th-ranked UCLA dispatched visiting Arizona 7-1 on Saturday at Jackie Robinson Stadium to capture a series victory.
A day after driving in a career-high six runs, Regis picked up where he left off by going 4 for 4 with three runs scored and a pair of runs batted in to pace a 13-hit Bruin attack.
UCLA (33-14, 16-7 Pac-12) plated a pair of runs in the second inning and added two more in the third off Wildcat starter Konner Wade, who went 7 1/3 innings but received little support from his offense.
Vander Tuig, Wade’s counterpart, quieted the Wildcats’ bats throughout, pitching 7 1/3 innings with just one run allowed on six hits and no walks.
The tone was set from opening inning when Vander Tuig struck out the side in order. It was not long before the UCLA hurler got all the run support he needed.
The Bruins opened the scoring in the second with three consecutive one-out hits off Wade, including an RBI single to right field from Shane Zeile. Then, with two outs, Brian Carroll drove in Pat Gallagher with a double down the left-field line to stake the home side to a 2-0 lead.
Regis added to the damage an inning later when he roped a two-run double to center that drove in Pat Valaika and Kevin Williams.
Arizona (29-19, 10-13 Pac-12) got its lone run of the game in the fourth inning. Trent Gilbert led off with a double down the first-base line before being bunted to third by Brandon Dixon. One out later, Kevin Newman lined a single to center to cut the deficit to 4-1.
The Bruins extended their lead back to four runs in the sixth. After retiring eight batters in a row, Wade surrendered another double to Regis to open the frame. One out later, a wild pitch pushed Regis to third, and he was able to score on Zeile’s sacrifice fly to center.
The Wildcats threatened in the eighth, forcing Vander Tuig from the game after Joseph Maggi reached on a one-out single. Reliever James Kaprielian then entered and walked Johnny Field before the Bruins called on David Berg to face the heart of the order.
Berg coaxed Gilbert to ground out softly to first, which advanced the runners to second and third, before inducing an inning-ending flyout off the bat of Dixon to end the threat.
UCLA tacked on two insurance runs in the home half of the eighth after Regis led off with a single. Gallagher followed with a sacrifice bunt and reached on an error when Riley Moore was unable to come up cleanly with the ball in front of home plate.
Zeile bunted the runners to second and third, and the Wildcats lifted Wade from the game. Augey Bill entered and quickly got pinch-hitter Trent Chatterton to line out, but Kevin Kramer delivered a two-out, two-run single to set the score at its eventual final, 7-1.
Wade (L, 4-6) finished with seven runs allowed – five earned – in his 7 1/3 innings of work. He surrendered 12 hits but did not walk a batter and recorded four strikeouts.
Berg finished off the Wildcats the way Vander Tuig opened the game – by striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth, though Moore led off the final frame with a harmless single.
The closer earned his 13th save of the season after entering the game with the tying run on deck in the eighth. He preserved win for Vander Tuig (W, 9-3).
UCLA’s staff held the Wildcats to a 1-for-14 performance with runners on base, including a 1-for-4 effort with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, Bruin hitters strung hits together and were 7 for 17 with runners on and 4 for 12 in RBI situations.
The Wildcats will try to salvage a victory in the series finale on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
