• Box Score

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Junior first baseman Garrett Atkins hit a three-run home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the ninth inning, breaking a 5-5 tie and lifting the UCLA baseball team over Arizona 8-5 in the series finale at Jackie Robinson Stadium Monday evening.

The Bruins swept the Wildcats in the three-game series, their third Pac-10 sweep and sixth overall. UCLA has now won six in a row and nine of its last 11 games, improving to 34-22 overall and 16-5 in the Pac-10. Arizona falls to 25-28 overall and 7-14 in league action.

Atkins' 16th home run of the season broke a 5-5 tie since the fifth inning and capped a two-out ninth inning rally. Junior right fielder Matt Pearl dropped a two-out double near the left field line in shallow left field and junior second baseman Chase Utley was intentionally walked. A passed ball by Arizona catcher Ken Riley put runners in scoring position, setting up the game-winning bomb by Atkins.

UCLA junior reliever Jon Brandt (6-5) picked up the win, throwing four shutout innings and allowing just four hits and striking out two. Junior left-hander Bobby Roe started for the Bruins, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits through five innings. Roe struck out six and had a season-high four wild pitches.

Arizona's Mike Meyer (1-3) suffered the loss, pitching the ninth and surrendering the game-winning home run. Meyer came into the game in relief of starter Tony Milo, who threw five scoreless innings after allowing five runs (three earned) in the first three innings. Milo tied a career-high with 12 strikeouts and also tied a school record by striking out six consecutive Bruins in the fifth and sixth innings.

Atkins led the Bruins with the bat, going 2-for-5 with three RBI and extended his hitting streak to a season-high 16 games, while Pearl was 3-for-5 including two doubles and three runs scored. Junior catcher Forrest Johnson extended his hitting streak to 16 games as well with a third inning triple and on the same play came around to score on a error by Arizona center fielder Troy Gingrich.

UCLA sophomore third baseman Randall Shelley also homered, a solo shot to center field in the bottom of the second inning. Junior left fielder Bill Scott had an RBI double in the first inning.

Arizona was paced by shortstop Keoni DeRenne who went 2-for-5 with a double and a home run. DeRenne's solo home run in the top of the fifth tied the score 5-5 after a solo home run by right fielder Rafell Jones in the fourth inning had cut the Bruin lead to 5-4. Jones was also 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.

The Bruins now hit the road for the final regular season series, a Pac-10 showdown with Stanford in Palo Alto Friday, May 19 through Sunday, May 21. UCLA is in first place by a game, while the Cardinal is tied with Arizona State for second place in the conference.

Arizona        120  110  000       5   9   3
UCLA           131  000  003       8   8   1