Bats Go Quiet In Series Finale

BERKELEY – Nathan Martorella and Dylan Beavers homered in the first and ninth innings, but California did little in between offensively and dropped a series-deciding 6-3 contest to No. 13 UCLA on Sunday afternoon.
 
With a record crowd of 1,791 on hand at Stu Gordon Stadium for the rubber-match battle, the Golden Bears could not find the same offensive rhythm that resulted in 22 total hits across the first two games of the weekend series. Cal (19-20, 10-11 Pac-12) came up just four hits Sunday – two apiece by Martorella and Beavers – and were hitless in the fourth through eighth innings while striking out 13 times.
 
Martorella (2-for-5) led off the home half of the first inning with his third home run of the series, a blast that ricocheted off the Edwards Stadium grandstand past right field, and gave Cal a 1-0 lead. UCLA knotted it up in the following half frame with a solo shot of its own by Michael Curialle against Cal starter Sam Stoutenborough.
 
Two defensive errors in the third allowed the Bruins (27-12, 11-7) to score a pair of unearned runs and take a 3-1 advantage. Stoutenborough (2-2) exited the contest with a 4-1 deficit, two at bats after allowing a second solo home run to UCLA in the fourth. Tucker Bougie was Cal's first of five relievers used and worked two scoreless innings. UCLA extended its lead with a pair of runs in the seventh on a fielder's choice play and a double to left field after Christian Becerra walked the bases loaded.
 
Beavers made it a three-run deficit in the ninth when he plated Martorella and himself with a blast to right field. The home run was Beavers' 14th of the season, which leads the Pac-12, and the 33rd of his career, which moved him past Cal Hall of Famer Lance Blankenship for sole possession of seventh place on the program's all-time home runs list.
 
Martorella finished the weekend with a slash line of .538/.500/1.231 and hit three of Cal's nine home runs in the series.
 
The weekend series between Cal and UCLA saw 4,745 total in attendance across the three games.
 
UP NEXT
Cal's five-game homestand concludes Tuesday against Pacific. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. PT at Stu Gordon Stadium.
 
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