UCLA baseball clinches series against Utah with pair of double-digit wins

After two series losses, the Bruins have come back swinging.

UCLA baseball (20-11, 8-6 Pac-12) had another offensive outburst in its defeat of Utah (8-20, 4-10) on Saturday at Jackie Robinson Stadium, winning 20-0 on Friday and claiming the series victory after a 13-3 win Saturday. The Bruins have outscored their opponents 51-6 in their past four games.

Sophomore right fielder/center fielder Michael Curialle said the team has been working on consistency throughout its games to continue winning after its series losses to Washington and Stanford.

“A big theme right now has been consistency, seeing how long we can stay with our approach and stick with it throughout the whole nine innings of the game,” Curialle said.

Back-to-back doubles in the second gave UCLA its first run of the game, followed by a run scored on a wild pitch to give the Bruins a two-run lead they would not forfeit.

Redshirt junior center fielder Kevin Kendall, coming off a seven-RBI night Friday, led off the third with a bunt single, and later came around to score on a single from redshirt sophomore first baseman JT Schwartz. Kendall would go on to hit his third home run of the weekend in the fifth frame to bring the score to 4-0.

The Utes scored their first run of the weekend in the sixth on two singles, which proved to be the end of the line for junior right-hander Sean Mullen’s first career Saturday start. Through his 5.1 innings of work, he allowed three hits and a walk while striking out seven and picking up his Pac-12-leading seventh win.

“I thought he really competed with what he had,” said coach John Savage. “He wasn’t as sharp as he’s been, I don’t think he had as good of stuff as he’s had, but he competed. … I really thought it was a grind for him and I really thought it was a terrific effort of pitching without your best stuff and still getting outs.”

The Bruins responded to the Utes with a seven-spot in the bottom of the sixth, starting with Curialle’s second career triple, with his first coming earlier in the game. Curialle’s drive cleared the loaded bases, and freshman third baseman Kyle Karros drove Curialle home on a base hit.

Sophomore pinch hitter/designated hitter Josh Hahn saw 10 pitches in his pinch hit at-bat before launching a home run to right and bringing Karros and Kendall home to give the Bruins an 11-1 lead.

“It was an exceptional at-bat,” Savage said. “We thought that was the best at-bat of the day. … He really had an impact in the game coming off the bench. I think (it’s) another lesson for guys being ready and taking advantage of opportunity and that’s what Josh did.”

Utah picked up a pair in the seventh off senior right-hander Michael Townsend, but was unable to add any more runs and finished the afternoon with five hits, only one of which went for extra bases, three runs and an error.

Freshman center fielder JonJon Vaughns, also taking advantage of a pinch hit, recorded his first career double in the bottom of the eighth, and later scored on a wild pitch. Redshirt senior left fielder Kyle Cuellar earned a bases-loaded walk later in the frame, concluding the Bruins’ third consecutive game with double-digit runs.

“I think ever since the first inning (last) Saturday, we’ve kind of started to compete really well as a team and together,” Mullen said. “Our team responded to some adversity and it’s been good to see. We’ve been kind of coming together, playing good ball on both sides of the ball, and it’s been fun to see.”

First pitch of the series finale between UCLA and Utah will be at 1 p.m. on Sunday.