UCLA Takes Care of Pepperdine in Midweek Tilt, 11-2

Tuesday, February 21

Los Angeles, CA

5:00 PM

UCLA

4-0

Pepperdine

1-3

Pepperdine

UCLA

Jack Holman (photo: Ross Turteltaub)

Photo by: Ross Turteltaub

UCLA Takes Care of Pepperdine in Midweek Tilt, 11-2

February 21, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

LOS ANGELES – The No. 13-ranked UCLA baseball team used a seven-run first inning to cruise past Pepperdine, 11-2, on Tuesday evening at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

The Bruins (4-0) batted around in that decisive first inning, scoring all seven runs with two outs. After a leadoff Cody Schrier HBP and a pair of groundouts, six consecutive Bruins reached base. The rally was capped by an opposite-field home run from junior outfielder JonJon Vaughns, who left the yard for the third consecutive game.

Paired with the team's weekend sweep of Omaha, UCLA is now outscoring its opponents 58-4 on the young season.

The Bruins allowed a run in just two of nine defensive innings, and on both occasions the offense answered back with a run in the bottom half.

"I thought we played good, sound baseball," said UCLA head coach John Savage. "We pitched, played defense, had good at-bats. It was a pretty well-rounded game, a lot of different aspects of our team played well."

Sophomore Duce Gourson went 3-4 with a pair of RBIs to lead the Bruins offensively. Sophomore DH Jack Holman had two doubles in five at-bats, and sophomore center fielder Malakhi Knight added three base hits.

Pepperdine (1-3) was led by left fielder Cole Sheehan, who went 3-4 with an RBI double. Second baseman Ryan Johnson chipped in a solo home run in the sixth.

Seven different Bruin pitchers toed the rubber on Tuesday.

Freshman right-hander Michael Barnett drew the start, striking out four in just two innings of work.

Redshirt sophomore Chris Aldrich followed by going six-up, six-down over two innings with four strikeouts. Aldrich received the decision, locking down his second career win.

Five relievers followed up with an inning apiece. Freshman Cody Delvecchio, senior Charles Harrison, and sophomore Luke Jewett had two strikeouts apiece over the final three frames of the game.

UCLA heads to Nashville, Tenn. this weekend for a three-game series at No. 5-ranked Vanderbilt. The set opens at 2:30 p.m. PT on Friday afternoon. The entirety of the series will be streamed on SEC Network+ (viewable on ESPN.com/watch).