Baseball scores walk-off win against UC Irvine to begin weekend series

This post was updated Feb. 27 at 10:26 a.m.

In a small ball battle that lasted over three hours, there was no more fitting way for it to end than a walk-off walk.

No. 8 UCLA baseball (3-2) came back to beat UC Irvine (3-1) 4-3 on Friday, sealing the victory with a four-pitch, bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth by junior first baseman Jack Filby. The Bruins and Anteaters combined for one extra-base hit in the game, and both teams had more batters reach base via walks, errors or hit-by-pitches than hits.

That extra-base hit came off the bat of junior second baseman Mikey Perez, who ripped a double down the left field line to start UCLA’s game-winning rally in the ninth. After a single by freshman first baseman Kyle Karros and an intentional walk to redshirt junior center fielder Kevin Kendall loaded the bases, Filby’s walk brought Perez in to score and clinch the series opener.

“I was going up to the plate trying to not get overaggressive or do more than I should, not trying to overcomplicate things and try and keep it simple,” Perez said. “Good thing it worked out for me on that double.”

Perez finished the night 2-for-4 and was the only Bruin with multiple hits.

UCLA was playing from behind for multiple innings, mostly since it couldn’t keep pace with UC Irvine’s small ball efficiency.

The Anteaters scored their first run of the game on a suicide squeeze in the opening inning. They posted a two-spot in the fourth by opening the frame with a walk and a single, then advancing both runners into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt and later bringing them home on an opposite field ground ball to the left side by catcher Jacob Castro.

The Bruins’ game-tying rally in the seventh started with a one-out, four-pitch walk by redshirt senior left fielder Jarron Silva, followed by a check-swing single by Perez. UCLA pulled off a double steal with Silva and Perez, forcing a throw to second and bringing the former home to make it a 3-2 game.

“It just seems right now that we’re scratching and clawing for every run we can get,” said coach John Savage. “It was one of those Friday night games at (Jackie Robinson Stadium) where runs were hard to come by for both teams. Fortunately for us, we were able to get a couple across.”

Kendall drove in Perez on an infield single by beating Anteater left-hander John Vergara in a footrace to first, tying the score at three runs apiece heading into the final two frames.

“UCI made it tough, that’s for sure,” Perez said. “I think we did a good job of just hanging in there and just trying to make the most out of the opportunities we got.”

UCLA was able to stage a 3-1 comeback because it didn’t allow a single run in the last five innings. Sophomore right-hander Jared Karros got the start and allowed two earned runs in 4.1 innings before he passed the torch to the bullpen.

Sophomore left-hander Jake Saum, freshman right-hander Jake Brooks, junior southpaw Daniel Colwell, senior righty Michael Townsend and redshirt senior right-hander Kyle Mora helped close things out, allowing only one hit and one walk between them. Senior right-hander Zach Pettway was the biggest name to come out of the pen, however, and he struck out two while facing the minimum in the sixth inning.

Pettway – who has been UCLA’s Friday starter the past two seasons – made his season debut in the game after suffering a setback to an injury he suffered in the offseason. The Bruin dugout was loudly cheering for its teammate throughout his entire inning, something Pettway said he fed off considering there were no fans in the stands.

“It just felt like a different energy when I went out there,” Pettway said. “It made me grateful to have the teammates that I do. The way the guys kind of responded around me made me proud to be a part of our team just for the way that guys were when I went out there.”

Savage said Pettway is fully healthy and could possibly return to the starting rotation next weekend, albeit not with a full leash and workload.

UCLA will travel to Irvine for game two of the series, with the first pitch coming at 1 p.m. on Saturday and junior right-hander Jesse Bergin drawing the start.