UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast: Bruins Fall to No. 12 UC Irvine

The No. 15 UCLA Bruins (29-11, 13-5) struggled in another Top-25 matchup as they fell to the No. 12 UC Irvine Anteaters (29-9) by a final score of 5-3 on Tuesday night in Irvine. After allowing a five-run first inning, the Bruins failed to mount the comeback, splitting the season series.

In this episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, UCLA Bruins On SI beat writer Tom Cavanaugh breaks down the Bruins non-conference loss to another one of the top teams in the nation.

You can watch the episode below:

Bruins redshirt junior right-hander James Hepp got the start but was unable to record an out as UC Irvine hit a two-run homer on just the second batter of the first inning. Hepp would be taken out after allowing three runs on two hits in just three batters faced.

Another two-run blast coupled with an RBI single would give the Anteaters a 5-0 lead in the opening frame, holding onto the lead through the final eight innings. UCLA junior outfielder Jarrod Hocking blasted his fourth home run of the year in the second inning to give the Bruins their first run.

The Bruins would go scoreless for the next six innings, scraping together a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth with a pinch hit, two-run base hit from redshirt freshman Aidan Espinoza. It marked Espinoza's second hit of the season, making the most of his limited opportunities this year.

UC Irvine starting pitcher Ricky Odeja improved his record to a perfect 9-0 this season, holding the Bruins to just three runs on nine hits. Despite not driving in any runs, sophomore outfielder Dean West had the best day at the plate, going 3-for-4.

The defeat marks back-to-back losses for UCLA for just the third time this season, as the Bruins dropped game three of last weekend's Big Ten series with then-No. 16 Oregon (27-12, 14-7). UCLA's last five games have come against Top 25 opponents, going 1-4 in that stretch.

The Anteaters earned the season split after UCLA won the first matchup, 11-4, back in early March when UC Irvine was ranked No. 18 and the Bruins were unranked at the time. The two teams are competing at the top of their respective conferences, hoping to make a College World Series run.

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