CARY, N.C. -- For the second consecutive night, a UCLA pitcher dominated on the mound as junior lefthander Grant Watson threw eight scoreless innings to lead No. 13 UCLA to a 2-0 victory against No. 8 North Carolina State at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, N.C.
Watson (2-1) allowed just three hits in his eight innings of work, striking out three and walking just one. Carlos Rodon took the loss for the Wolfpack, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in seven innings pitched. Junior David Berg picked up the save for the second straight night with a scoreless ninth inning.
After a scoreless first inning, UCLA jumped ahead in the bottom of the second with two runs off of Rodon. Sophomore Ty Moore led off the frame with an infield single before freshman Luke Persico reached on an error by Rodon. Sophomore Christoph Bono then got hit by a pitch to load the bases, bringing up Trent Chatterton. Chatterton fought back from a 1-2 count to bring it to 3-2 and then smacked a single down the right field line past a diving Kyle Cavanaugh at first to score Moore and Persico and give the Bruins a 2-0 lead.
Watson made that lead stand up for the next four innings, holding the Wolfpack scoreless to keep UCLA’s lead at two. From innings three to six, Watson allowed only one base runner to NC State with that runner reaching via an error. UCLA looked to threaten in the bottom of the sixth, as freshman Brett Stephens and junior Shane Zeile started the inning with back-to-back walks. However, a 4-6-3 double play and a strikeout ended the Bruins’ threat and UCLA’s lead stayed at two.
Watson pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth innings for the Bruins before giving way to Berg in the ninth. Berg allowed the leadoff runner to reach base on an infield single, but he induced a double play and a strikeout to end the game and hand the Bruins to 2-0 win.
Moore, senior Pat Gallagher and sophomore Trent Chatterton provided the hits for the Bruins while Trea Turner, Jake Fincher, Kyle Cavanaugh and Andrew Knizner each had one hit apiece for the Wolfpack.
