Monday, March 31, 1997
BASEBALL:
MVPs Glaus and Zamora lead UCLA in demolishing BearsBy Kristina
Wilcox
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
UCLA wrapped up a splendid spring break on the baseball diamond
Saturday by completing a three-game sweep of California, 8-1.
The Bruins’ three left-handed starting pitchers dominated the
Golden Bears (13-23, 1-14 Pac-10), as they led the Bruins (28-6-1,
8-4) to victory.
Starting pitcher Peter Zamora and shortstop Troy Glaus were
named the most valuable players of Saturday’s game.
Zamora pitched eight innings, allowing only one run on a home
run by Cal right fielder Juan Hernandez in the fourth inning. He
walked none and struck out two, which made for a fast game that
lasted two hours and 41 minutes.
"I just wanted to get ahead," Zamora said. "The last couple of
games, I was having trouble throwing strikes right away. I was
always pitching from behind. Today I just wanted to get ahead of
the hitters on either of the first one or two pitches. And I ended
up getting ahead on the first pitch a majority of the time. It just
happens. It felt great."
Zamora also had a great day at the plate. Ordinarily, the
pitcher would not bat in the game, but since Zamora does so well at
the plate  going into the Cal series, he was the league’s
leader in batting average  he was in the lineup as the
"designated hitter." He went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs
scored.
He led off the second inning for the Bruins with a home run to
right field, his 13th homer of the year. "That home run was on an
outside fastball," Zamora said. "I hit it good."
Home runs also flew off the bats of Glaus and left fielder Jon
Heinrichs. Glaus hit two on the afternoon, his 15th and 16th of the
season. That ties his 1996 total.
"I’d like to see another 16," hitting coach Vince Beringhele
said, when asked what else he would like out of Glaus this
season.
Glaus hit them in back-to-back at-bats in the fifth and sixth
innings. His first one was an opposite-field fly to right field,
while the second one was a no-doubter to left center field.
"He swung the bat well," Beringhele said. "I mean, the first
ball that he hit out, he didn’t hit it real well, but he’s so
mechanically sound that he got enough of it. The wind was blowing
out to right a bit. He’s just a good hitter. The second one, he got
pretty good. People are pitching around him. Other guys are hitting
the ball well, so they’re having to pitch to him. He’s staying
within himself, not trying to do too much."
Glaus seemed especially proud of the first homer when talking
about it after the game.
"To be a good hitter you have to use the whole field," Glaus
said. "I’ve been working on that. I’m trying to use the whole field
better."
Heinrichs hit his 15th home run of the season to lead off the
game, getting everything off to a quick start for the Bruins. That
was the fourth time this year he has led off the game with a home
run.
The other two games in the series were also characterized by
superb starting pitching.
Defending Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week Tom Jacquez threw a
complete game shutout in Friday night’s 9-0 win, allowing three
hits and striking out six batters. It was his first career
shutout.
"I just got ahead of batters," Jacquez said of his stellar
performance. "I didn’t walk anyone; I just got ahead of batters. I
felt pretty confident because Casey (catcher Casey Cloud) and I
were working well tonight."
"He was outstanding," Cloud said of his battery mate. "He worked
fast, changed speeds, (and) threw strikes. He got the leadoff guy
out 9 out of 9 times, which is big. His tempo was great. That
really makes a difference for a pitcher and for umpires also, they
like to see that. Guys being fast and being around the plate, stuff
like that. We get more calls. It’s a pleasure to watch him pitch
like that."
Thursday night was Jim Parque’s turn to shine. He went eight
innings, surrendering one run on six hits, walking three and
striking out 10 batters. The Bruins won that game 13-1.
Head coach Gary Adams had plenty to be pleased with: "They
(Jacquez and Parque) were outstanding. Our pitching left nothing to
be desired."
Indeed.
In the other games over the break, the Bruins took two of three
games from crosstown rivals USC and they won their game against Cal
State Los Angeles.
CHARLES KUO/Daily Bruin
Shortstop Troy Glaus played well in the field and also hit his
16th home run, bringing his total up to match last year’s.