Wednesday, April 2, 1997
BASEBALL:
Questionable fielding decisions plague Bruins at PepperdineBy
Kristina Wilcox
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
After Tuesday afternoon’s baseball game, one word comes to mind
 WHY?
Why didn’t closer Jake Meyer start the ninth inning to hold down
a two-run lead?
Why did Rob Henkel try for the play at third base on a sacrifice
bunt when he had a sure play at first?
And why, oh why, did the second-ranked Bruins (28-7-1) lose to
the Pepperdine Waves (20-16) in a nonconference game, 8-7?
UCLA went into the bottom of the ninth inning with a two-run
lead that was built on home runs, as has been the case in
practically all of their games. Shortstop Troy Glaus hit a
three-run homer in the first inning, and outfielders Jon Heinrichs
and Eric Byrnes went back-to-back for the third time this season,
in the second inning.
But a Malibu breeze carried that lead away.
Gabe Crecion started the ninth inning after allowing a run in
the eighth. Shortstop David Matranga promptly doubled off of
Crecion, signaling the end of Crecion’s effectiveness.
Henkel came in to face the left-handed hitting Randy Wolf. But
Waves head coach Frank Sanchez pulled Wolf in favor of right-hander
Jeremy White, who ended up walking.
Left-hander Josh Oder came up to bat next. He grounded back to
Henkel, who had a sure out at first base.
But Henkel threw to third base instead, where Matranga slid in
safely.
With the bases loaded and no outs, right fielder Mark Lopez got
his lone hit of the game, and it couldn’t have come at a better
time for Pepperdine. He drove in the tying runs to tie the score at
7-7.
But the key play on the single was when Bruin center fielder
Eric Valent attempted to throw out Oder at third base. The runner
beat the throw, putting the winning run at third base with no
outs.
It was at this point that Meyer finally made his entrance into
the game.
He got Steve Zorn to ground out to second base, holding Oder at
third base for one out.
After an intentional walk to Damon Katz, Michael Kramer hit a
1-2 pitch into right field, handing the Waves the victory.
Pepperdine 8,
UCLA 7