UCLA stuns Zags in NCAA opener

MINNEAPOLIS — UCLA erupted for four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun Gonzaga 6-5 on Friday in the NCAA Tournament’s Minneapolis Regional.

Third-seeded Gonzaga (32-23) led 5-2 heading to the ninth, but wasn’t able to hold on as the No. 2 seed Bruins (37-19) scored four runs on four hits to beat the Zags.

“That was a heartbreaking loss,” Zags coach Mark Machtolf said. “I thought Daniel [Bies] pitched really well, and we battled. We need to get past this one and be ready to go tomorrow.”

Bies went 7 2/3 innings and give up just two runs on five hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. Casey Legumina entered in the eighth to end the frame and then wasn’t able to keep the Bruins off the board in the ninth.

At the plate, Branson Trube was 2 for 2, scored three times and knocked home a run. Austin Pinorini reached three times with one hit and two walks, scoring once and driving in a run.

Gonzaga got on the board with a pair of runs in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. Nick Brooks hit a double off the wall in right field and Jack Machtolf followed with a hard-hit sacrifice fly to plate the second run.

The Zags followed with another in the third and one more in the sixth, both coming on sacrifice flies from Trube and Jake Vieth, respectively.

UCLA answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, getting four hits in the inning off Bies. The Zag starter pitched out of the jam, getting a strikeout to leave two Bruins stranded.

GU then got to the UCLA bullpen in the top of the eighth, scoring one more run. After starter Jake Bird got the first two outs, GU put the next three on with two walks and hit. Trube then came home on a wild pitch to push the score to 5-2.

In the bottom of the ninth, the first two batters reached for UCLA and after an out, the Bruins got three straight hits and a sacrifice fly to score four runs.

Kevin Kendall and Chase Strumpf pulled UCLA within 5-4 on RBI singles, and Michael Toglia doubled to bring in Kendall for a tie game. Jake Pries hit a fly ball to score Strumpf and complete the comeback.

Gonzaga will be back on the field today at 11 a.m. PDT against Canisius (35-21). UCLA faces Minnesota (42-13), which beat Canisius 10-1.