Unlike the fog that blanketed Jackie Robinson Stadium for the
first game of the weekend’s series against Fresno St. (2-4),
there were many silver linings in the UCLA baseball team’s
series loss to the Bulldogs.
Despite losing the first two games of the series 11-9 and 5-0,
the Bruins (1-2) came back strong in the final game, winning 12-2
and avoiding the broom.
“We’re disappointed we didn’t win two out of
three,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “But we only had
one error in three games. For a young team to play as well as we
did (in the first series), it’s pretty exciting. There were a
lot of positives from this weekend.”
The highlights for the Bruins on the weekend came from the
newcomers. Junior Tyson Brummett, making his UCLA debut after
transferring from Central Arizona Community College, pitched seven
innings on Sunday, giving up only two runs and striking out eight.
In his first start for the Bruins, Brummett had to conquer his
nerves in the first inning when he gave up three hits and a run
before cruising through the final six innings.
“It’s always nervous, starting your first college
game (at a new school,)” Brummett said. “I felt pretty
good. I just struggled a little. You just have to conquer those
nerves. Once I did, I got out there and got rolling.”
The Bruins were led by home runs from junior Tim Stewart in the
first inning, and freshman catcher Ryan Babineau in the second
inning to jump out to a 5-1 lead. The Bruins would lead throughout,
as they cruised through the final seven frames.
The victory for the Bruins helped them avoid starting this
season the same way they ended last season, with a sweep.
Friday’s game, initially begun in dense fog, was delayed
until Saturday after the umpires conferred during the fourth
inning. The game was called with the Bulldogs up 7-1 on Bruins
starting pitcher Hector Ambriz.
“I wasn’t really happy that we played in the
fog,” Savage said. “It was really hard to see out
there. It’s a matter of safety. The outfielders can’t
see the ball. The pitcher standing sixty feet from the batter
can’t see the ball.”
The game was resumed Saturday morning, which may have proven
beneficial to the Bruins, as they were able to mount a comeback.
Thanks to the bats of senior Chris Jensen and freshman Tim Murphy,
who each had a home run and combined for five RBI, the Bruins were
able to claw within one run in the eighth inning, but Fresno State
was ultimately able to hold the Bruins off. Murphy, who was
starting in his first games as a Bruin, went six for ten on the
weekend.
“I’m pretty pleased, pretty stoked,” Murphy
said. “I saw the ball pretty well. It was disappointing we
didn’t win a couple of games. We got back to one run (in the
first game,) but we couldn’t pull it out.”
In the second game on Saturday, the Bruins fell in a pitching
duel between junior David Huff and Fresno State’s Andy
Underwood. Huff went 7 and 2/3 innings without giving up an earned
run, but was ultimately dealt the loss because of two runs scored
off of an error by freshman shortstop Brandon Crawford.
“We were very happy with both Huff and Brummett,”
Savage said. “They matched up well on Saturday and Sunday.
They really put the pressure on Ambriz to show he can set the tone
on Friday’s.
“Underwood and Huff are two future pro guys who went
toe-to-toe.”