Bruins Drop Game One to ASU, 5-3

LOS ANGELES – Redshirt junior outfielder AJ Salgado went 3-4 and junior second baseman Duce Gourson reached base in all four of his plate appearances, but the UCLA baseball team recorded a 5-3 loss to Arizona State in Friday night's series opener at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

UCLA (13-22, 6-13) took an early lead after posting a two-spot in the bottom of the first inning, but was held off the board from then until Gourson brought in Salgado with a sac fly in the ninth.

ASU (18-21, 8-11) went ahead for good with three unearned runs in the top of the second.

Junior righty Luke Jewett was a tough-luck loser for the Bruins, going six complete while allowing just one earned run. He settled in after the early innings, retiring nine of the final 10 and 14 of the final 16 batters he faced.

Freshman DH Roman Martin had the big swing in UCLA's go-ahead first-inning rally, getting under an 0-2 offering from ASU starter Ben Jacobs and lining it off the top of the wall in left for a two-run double. That plated Gourson and junior shortstop Cody Schrier, who had each reached on two-out walks.

Arizona State was led by cleanup man Jacob Tobias, who went 2-4 with three RBIs including a two-run single in the second that ultimately drove in the game-winning run.

UCLA and ASU continue the series on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. PT.