UCLA baseball to open 2022 season against CSUN with fans in the stands

This post was updated Feb. 17 at 12:17 a.m.

Friday will mark the start of a new season for the Bruins but also the return of something much bigger.

UCLA baseball will open its 2022 campaign with a three-game set against Cal State Northridge in Westwood over the weekend. The homestand will also mark the return of regular-season fans to Jackie Robinson Stadium for the first time since 2020.

A year after losing their season-opening series, the Bruins are aiming to start their season on a high note, said redshirt freshman infielder Eli Paton.

“We have to go out there first-pitch ready,” Paton said. “We have a target on our back, so we’re going to go out and beat that team because they’re going to want to beat us.”

The 2022 season will also mark the addition of multiple new players after UCLA lost 10 players to the MLB Draft. The Bruins brought in the No. 1 overall recruiting class from a year ago, consisting of multiple top-ranked players.

Coach John Savage said the blue and gold will use the opening series to test out different lineup and rotation combinations.

“We have a lot of depth and a lot of different matchup options,” Savage said. “We’re looking to get a good feel for our players and what they can do against other people.”

UCLA will also see the full return of spectators to Jackie Robinson Stadium on Friday for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic cut the season short in March 2020. Although the Bruins have played in front of fans on the road – including at Texas Tech last year in the NCAA regionals – this weekend marks the first time in just under two years that the blue and gold gets to play in front of its home fans with the stadium open to the general public during the regular season.

Paton said he is excited not only to have spectators back in the stands but also to see the impact they will have on the game too.

“The fans are huge. They’re a huge home-field advantage,” Paton said. “Last year, you could feel that there wasn’t as much energy because there was maybe a couple fans at the end of the year. I’m so excited for fans because they really bring up the energy, and the whole team is definitely really excited.”

In its opening series, UCLA will play CSUN, a team that finished last year with a 21-19 record. Savage possesses a 17-7 record against the Matadors over his 17 years at the helm of the blue and gold.

Senior right-hander/infielder Jack Filby said he’s excited to see what the Bruins can do in their opening series and see all the hard work they have put in during the offseason pay off.

“We just need to do what we’ve been doing all fall and winter,” Filby said. “We all know our roles and to play within ourselves. When we’re doing all that, we’re going to be a really tough team to beat.”

Friday’s first pitch will take place at 6 p.m., followed by afternoon start times on Saturday and Sunday of 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.