By Brian Purcell
Daily Bruin Contributor
A few weeks ago, it looked like this weekend’s USC-UCLA series
would decide the Six-Pac title.
This possible fairy tale ending fell by the wayside as
third-ranked USC pulled away, and UCLA moved towards the middle of
the pack.
The No. 19 Bruins enter the weekend in a fight for the regional
playoffs, while the Trojans have assured themselves a high seed
with their 21-6 league record. Although UCLA has clinched third
place in the Six-Pac with a respectable16-11 record, a three-game
sweep at the hands of USC would give the Bruins six consecutive
losses to end the Six-Pac season.
And despite the fact that no third place Six-Pac team has ever
been kept out of the playoffs, an ending like that could make UCLA
the first.
The Bruins (32-21) took two out of three from USC (36-13) on the
weekend of Mar. 23-25, in one of only two Six-Pac series the
Trojans have lost this year. With the league title already salted
away, the Trojans will draw motivation for this weekend from not
wanting to let UCLA win the season series.
"Obviously, place in conference isn’t at stake, but it’s still
USC-UCLA," USC head coach Mike Gillespie said. "I think that the
pride factor alone will generate the kind of motivation we
need.
"We also feel the need to get on track as as team. We’ve
scuffled a bit lately (losing two out of three to Arizona State in
their last Six-Pac series), and we would like to go into the
playoffs with a good head of steam."
The need to win is a little more pressing for UCLA.
"We need to do some things to make the playoffs," UCLA head
coach Gary Adams said. "If we sweep them, that would give us five
out of six against them this year, which would look very good."
Realistically, the Bruins probably only need to win one game
against USC to assure themselves a playoff spot.
If they are to get just one win, it would be most satisfying to
get it on Sunday. Sunday’s game will be played at 1 p.m. at Jackie
Robinson Stadium, and will feature USC’s Seth Etherton, who is 9-0
in nine Six-Pac starts. A win on Sunday would make him the first
pitcher in league history to go 10-0.
The Bruins have their bulletin board material.
"If I was a hitter and I knew he was undefeated, I’d want to
beat him," Adams said. "We don’t want to be the team that he gets
his tenth against."
If Etherton is to get his tenth, he will have to shut down the
blazing middle of the Bruin order. In UCLA’s last game versus Long
Beach State on Tuesday, Bruin three, four and six hitters Troy
Glaus, Tim DeCinces and Eric Byrnes combined to go 12-for-15 with
two home runs and 11 RBIs.
The series will begin on Saturday with a 1 p.m. game at the
Trojans’ Dedeaux Field, the teams will move to Jackie Robinson for
Sunday’s game, and the series will conclude with Monday night’s 7
p.m. game at Dedeaux. Jim Parque (8-2) starts for the Bruins on
Saturday, and Pete Zamora (6-0) is on the mound Monday night, while
Sunday’s starter is undecided.
PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin
No. 4 hitter Tim DeCinces is part of the Bruins’ strong middle
lineup.