UCLA starting pitcher Daniel Miltenberger held Cal State Fullerton to
just two runs on two hits in six innings and Kyle Wilson recorded the
final five outs of the game by way of strikeout as UCLA beat the Titans,
8-2, in a nonconference game at Jackie Robinson Stadium Tuesday night.
The Titans, who had just four hits and committed three errors, fell to
30-20 overall and were swept by the Bruins in their two-game season series
for the first time since 1991. UCLA improved to 27-23.
Miltenberger (3-0), making just his second start, did not allow a hit
until Sergio Pedroza launched a solo homer to right field with one out
in the fifth to tie the game, 1-1. The Titans grabbed a 2-1 lead in the
sixth when Justin Turner was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a
wild pitch.
But the lead was short-lived. Nolan Bruyninckx (1-1) gave up a game-tying
single to Wes Whisler in the bottom of the sixth and Brandon Averill followed
with a two-run blast to center field for a 4-2 lead. The Bruins piled
on two more runs in each of the seventh and eighth innings.
The Titans' first two batters reached in the top of the eighth, but the
2-3-4- batters in the order (Ronnie Prettyman, Kurt Suzuki and Danny Dorn)
all struck out. Wilson, who notched two of those strikeouts, also struck
out the side in the ninth to notch his second save.
Ryan Schreppel pitched three solid innings (one run one two hits) in his
first start since April 3 and Lauren Gagnier pitched a scoreless inning.
Fullerton will resume Big West Conference play on Friday, when it opens
a three-game series at UC Irvine.
