ASU Baseball falls to No. 9 UCLA 4-2 in game 2 of doubleheader

The 11th-ranked Arizona State baseball team dropped the second game of its doubleheader against No. 9 UCLA, 4-2, on Sunday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.  

Abe Ruiz finished the three-game series with three RBI, three hits, including a pair of home runs, and three runs scored. Trever Allen collected four RBI, four hits and two runs scored in the three games.  

Sun Devil (12-7, 1-2) left-hander Matt Dunbar took the mound with runners on first and second and one out in the fourth inning, and escaped the inning unscathed after inducing a bunt out and a called strikeout. He allowed just one earned run on three hits while striking out five in 3 2/3 innings.  

Right-hander Alex Blackford (0-2) gave up three earned runs on two hits and a trio of walks in 1 1/3 innings to take the loss before right-hander Darin Gillies replaced him in the second frame.  Gillies went two innings and allowed no runs on two hits while striking out one and walked two.  

Right-hander Joseph Lopez, making his third appearance of the season, pitched the eighth and gave up no runs on one hit.   Bruins (15-4, 2-1) left-hander Grant Watson (5-0) secured the win, going six innings and surrendering a pair of earned runs on six hits to go with three strikeouts and two walks.  

Right-hander Scott Griggs (5) earned the save after pitching a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts.     

The Bruins scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single, a wild pitch with the bases loaded and an RBI groundout.  

ASU cut the Bruins’ lead to one with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. After consecutive walks by Deven Marrero and Joey DeMichele, Ruiz hit an RBI double to center field to score Marrero from second. Allen brought DeMichele home in the next at-bat on an RBI groundout to make it, 2-3.  

UCLA extended its lead in to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Jeff Gelalich.  

The Sun Devils return to Tempe to face UNLV on Wednesday, March 21, at Packard Stadium, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. (PT).  ASU will host California for a three-game series on March 23-25, with Friday and Saturday’s games slated for 6:30 p.m. (PT), and Sunday’s at 12:30 p.m. (PT). Tim Healey and Seth Dhaenens will have the call on KDUS 1060 Am The Fan for all four games of the week.