If it weren’t for nightfall, the Bruins could very well be
4-1 heading into this weekend’s series against University of
the Pacific. In their first road game of the year, the Bruins were
in the midst of erasing a four-run ninth inning deficit on Tuesday
until the sun set at Loyola Marymount’s lightless Page
Stadium. Darkness forced the umpires to call the game and declare
the Lions the winners by virtue of their 7-3 lead after the eighth
inning. “In the umpire’s judgment it was too
dark,” coach Gary Adams said. “Our hitting showed that
we certainly didn’t have any problems seeing. “I
learned a long time ago that baseball coaches have no control over
umpires, the weather, the sunset. You can only deal with the things
you have control over. Such as, if we had scored more in the
beginning of the game,” he added. The Bruins return to the
friendly confines of Jackie Robinson stadium this weekend where
they are 3-1. They play host to the Tigers to whom they lost in
their only meeting last year 8-4. UCLA (3-2) has thus far taken
advantage of the beneficial schedule, defeating a pair of
well-respected programs in UC Riverside and Fresno State. “I
told the team, we don’t want to let anyone take us in our
yard,” Adams said. “It’s our field, we love it,
and we have to defend it.” The Tigers (4-2) are trying to
rebuild around their new coach, former major league 10-year veteran
and all-star Ed Sprague. UCLA will start the same pitchers as last
weekend, with senior Casey Janssen taking the mound today,
sophomore Hector Ambriz Saturday and junior Bryan Beck Sunday. The
Tigers will counter with a trio of 1-0 starters ““ Andy
Willick, Alex Graham and Matthew Pena.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior third baseman
Brandon Averill was named Pac-10 Player of the Week after amassing
four hits and six RBI last weekend, highlighted by a game-winning
three-run home run Saturday against Fresno State. The honor is the
second of Averill’s career.