After a 21-0 start to their conference schedule, the Bruins will play in their first non-conference weekend series since February.

No. 1 UCLA baseball (37-3, 21-0 Big Ten) is set to face-off against Sacramento State (19-23, 5-4 WAC) in a three game series at Jackie Robinson Stadium starting Friday and concluding Sunday.

Like with most games, the top-ranked Bruins are the clear favorite to win the series. The team has consistently been able to put up wins against all types of adversaries. Even in hard fought games like their most recent against the Rainbow Warriors, the Bruins have found a way to win.

“You got to win 2-1, 4-2, 3-1 and you got to win 12-7,” said coach John Savage.

However, this consistent ability to win does not mean that every element of UCLA is consistent. If the inconsistencies line up and Sacramento State takes advantage of them, an upset could be on the horizon.

Both the Bruin pitching staff and offense have been inconsistent at certain points of the season. Most recently against Minnesota, UCLA only put up 15 runs across the three-game series. This is less than the team has scored in a single game alone, as earlier this season, they scored 19 runs in games against both Ohio State and Iowa. The offense was also able to amass 31 runs against then-No.12 USC a few weekends prior.

While Minnesota, Ohio State, Iowa and USC are all different teams in their own nature, the contrast between the offensive performance against these teams by the Bruins highlights the possibility for offensive inconsistencies.

After the Minnesota series, junior left fielder Dean West said there was room for the offensive improvement.

“I think the offense could be a little bit better,” West said. “We can take advantage of some opportunities here and there … keep staying on course and keep doing a lot better job in practice of being able to translate to the game.”

Despite these inconsistencies, the Sacramento State pitching staff does not have the depth that could lead to another run-away victory for UCLA. Most pitchers for the Hornets who have tossed over 15 innings have an ERA above 3.50, three of which have an ERA above 6.20.

There are some exceptions to Sacramento State’s lack of depth. Most notably, right-hander Ethan Lay has amassed just a 1.93 ERA across 60.2 innings pitched. Lay has proven he can throw deep into games, pitching for at least seven innings in five starts thus far. Lay’s stamina could potentially shut down the UCLA offense. Right-hander Colin Hunter with a 1.10 ERA could pose some trouble for the Bruins out of the Hornet bullpen.

Moreover, Lay and Hunter are just two of the pitchers that will likely face the Bruin lineup. While there is a chance they could shut down the offensive powerhouse during one of the games, the lack of depth in the Hornets’ bullpen begs the question: how successful will the Hornet pitching staff be in the entire series?

The UCLA pitching has also had its own set of inconsistent performances.

The Bruin pitchers held the Golden Gophers to just eight runs across three games in their recent series, allowing the team to secure the sweep despite a slower-than-usual offense.

However the pitching staff conceded seven runs to an unranked Hawaii on Tuesday.

The Hornets offense does possess three starting batters that all are hitting above .305. The Hornets have the tools to take advantage of weak pitching moments.

However, the Bruin pitching staff undoubtedly has more depth than that for the Hornets heading into the weekend.

Savage will be using his depth, giving junior right-hander Logan Reddemann a rest day, a UCLA Athletics spokesperson said. Instead Savage will throw out sophomore right-hander Wylan Moss to start the Friday evening matchup. Moss has amassed just a 1.57 ERA across 34.1 innings pitched. The Tustin, California, local has recently been used as a reliever in weekend games and can take bulk innings.

And while some pitchers struggled against Hawaii on Tuesday, Savage said he was pleased with the performance of others.

“They both (junior right-handers Justin Lee and Cal Randall) have really turned a corner,” Savage said. “They’re throwing about as hard as they ever have. They’re throwing multiple pitches for strikes … It’s fun to see, seeing juniors kind of turn the corner out of the bullpen.”

While relievers like Lee and Randall are not always utilized in weekend series, their consistent performances this season help add depth to the Bruin pitching staff.

Another veteran reliever is redshirt senior southpaw Ian May. May – who recently threw for two innings against Hawaii – said the pitching staff is mentally prepared for each game.

“Baseball is a game of successes and failures, and sometimes it doesn’t always go your way, necessarily, but I would say the staff as a whole comes in ready to go every game,” May said.

These junior relievers in May, Randall and Lee all sit in the 2.00 to 3.00 ERA range and have provided relief for the Bruins, which could help with the consistency of the pitching heading into the weekend.

When the stars align for UCLA, the offense is a powerhouse and the pitching is lights out. Both sides of the ball have proven to be inconsistent at various points in the season, but it is rare these points overlap, which is part of what has allowed the Bruins to win so consistently.

If the pattern continues, the team should be able to garner another series victory, however these inconsistencies prove there is a chance for the Hornets to pose a challenge.