Long Beach State University
5-3
UCLA
6-1
Offense Stalls In 1-0 Loss At No. 4 UCLA
2/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Ryan Cruz took a no-hitter into the sixth inning but a solo home run proved to be the difference as Long Beach State fell 1-0 at No. 4 UCLA on Tuesday.
Cruz stifled one of the hottest offenses in the nation as UCLA (7-1) came into the game averaging nearly 11 runs per game. Cruz issued three walks and hit a batter but kept the UCLA offense without a hit through the first five innings.
Double plays in the first and second inning helped keep the Bruins without a scoring opportunity. Cruz also struck out six through his six innings of work. However, the Dirtbag offense was equally stifled on the other side of the inning.
The Dirtbags (5-3) had four hits in the game while Cruz and Trey Ferketic limited UCLA to just two hits. Two singles came off the bat of Eric Hutting, who was 2-for-3. Despite the advantage in the hit column, UCLA scored the only run while four Bruins pitchers kept Dirtbags runners from advancing past first.
Kevin Kramer provided the only offense of the game as he broke up the no-hit bid with a towering homer to right field with one out in the sixth. UCLA loaded the bases in the eighth to threaten before Ferketic ended the inning with a ground ball.
All four Dirtbags hits came in four different innings as LBSU was held out of scoring position and off the scoreboard.
Griffin Canning earned the win for UCLA as he threw six shutout innings. Cruz took the hard loss to fall to 1-1 on the mound this year.
The Dirtbags return to Blair Field this weekend for a three-game series with Wichita State. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Canning, Griffin (1-1)
L: Cruz, Ryan (0-1)
S: Berg, David (1)
Base Running:
CS: Jackson, Daniel 1
Batting:
HR: Kramer, Kevin 1
RBI: Kramer, Kevin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kramer, Kevin 1
HBP: Kramer, Kevin 1
PO: Moore, Ty 1
