Cole, Bauer make impressive pitching debuts for UCLA

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Gerrit Cole, a freshman right-hander who was drafted in the first round by the New York Yankees last June, made an impressive debut for UCLA on Saturday at Jackie Robinson Stadium, striking out seven, walking two and allowing one hit and one unearned run in six innings against UC Davis.

UCLA won, 5-2, to improve to 2-0.

Another freshman pitcher, Trevor Bauer, who left high school a year early to enroll at UCLA, came on in the ninth and struck out two to pick up his first save.

Cole’s fastball was consistently clocked at 95 mph and reached 97 mph. He was considered the No. 1 pitching prospect in Southern California last season at Orange Lutheran High and was taken No. 28 overall by the Yankees. He became the first high school player since 2002 to be selected in the first round and end up in college.

Cole walked the first batter of the game, then retired nine in a row.

Bauer was clocked at 93 mph in a scoreless ninth.

-- Eric Sondheimer