UCLA
12-7
Harvard
8-7
Bruins Clinch Harvard Series With 3-2 Walk-Off Win
March 20, 2022 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES โ The UCLA baseball team captured a walk-off 3-2 win over Harvard on Sunday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium, forcing in the game-winning run on a bases-loaded balk in the 11th inning to clinch the series over the Crimson.
Redshirt sophomore JonJon Vaughns and graduate first baseman Jake Palmer laid the foundation for the walk-off rally in the 11th, as Vaughns led off the frame by working a walk before moving to third on a solid base hit from Palmer.
A bunt single from Malakhi Knight would load the bases for the Bruins (12-7), bringing up junior catcher Darius Perry with one out.
Perry would never even see a pitch however, as Harvard (8-7) pitcher Will Jacobsen flinched while coming set. That miscue brought in pinch-runner Alex Fernandes from third for the game-ending run.
WALK-OFF FINAL: UCLA 3, Harvard 2
โ UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) March 21, 2022
The Bruins bring across the game-winning run on a balk to clinch the series! #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/nIKo5IsY1e
The Bruins never trailed in Sunday's rubber match, going ahead with a single run in the first and leading 2-0 after five. However, Harvard halved the lead on a Logan Bravo solo homer in the sixth, then sent it to extras after rallying for a single run in the eighth.
Palmer (3-4, two walks) was the Bruins' most productive hitter in the game, reaching base five times overall. Cody Schrier (2-4, two walks) and JonJon Vaughns (1-3, three walks) were also on-base machines for UCLA. As a team, the Bruins collected 10 hits and got another 14 runners on via walk or HBP.
Freshman Thatcher Hurd was solid in his first-career weekend start, allowing just one earned run on two hits over 5 1/3 innings. He added six strikeouts, but walked a career-high four.
The Mira Costa HS product allowed hits to the first and last batters he faced in the game, but held the Crimson to an 0-15 line in between.
Freshman right-hander Luke Jewett finished off the game for UCLA, facing the minimum over a two-inning relief outing en route to his first-collegiate victory.
Strong defense was a theme all afternoon for the Bruins, with several players turning in highlight-reel plays over the course of the game.
Particular highlights included a running catch at the right field wall from Vaughns in the first, a diving catch in the right-center field gap by Malakhi Knight in the fifth, and an inning-ending double play from Schrier off a line drive in the 10th inning.
T5 | The Bruins brought the gloves today! It's Malakhi Knight making a play this time, diving into the right-center field gap to take away extra bases from Sawyer Feller.
โ UCLA Baseball (@UCLABaseball) March 20, 2022
UCLA 1, Harvard 0
?? | https://t.co/Ofp0GAx3kV#GoBruins | @MalakhiKnight | #D1Top10 pic.twitter.com/BVHXKl8xg8
This week, UCLA will play its first true road games of the 2022 season, heading to Loyola Marymount for a 6:00 p.m. Tuesday matchup before trekking east for a three-game Pac-12 set at Arizona starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jewett, Luke (1-0)
L: Jacobsen, Will (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Bravo, Logan 1
HR: Bravo, Logan 1
RBI: Bravo, Logan 1 ; Jacobsen, Will 1
SH: Cooper, George 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bravo, Logan 2
SB: Williams, Spencer 1
HBP: Rounds, Ben 1
Batting:
2B: Gourson, Duce 1
RBI: Vaughns, JonJon 1 ; Palmer, Jake 1
SH: Oyama, Kenny 1 ; Perry, Darius 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schrier, Cody 1 ; Gourson, Duce 1 ; Fernandes, Alex 1
SB: Schrier, Cody 1 ; Curialle, Michael 1 ; Knight, Malakhi 1
HBP: Gourson, Duce 2
PO: Knight, Malakhi 1
