Rainy and wet conditions interfered with a weekend that was supposed to showcase the opening of a new season for the No. 1 ranked UCLA baseball team. Originally scheduled was a three-game series with Oklahoma, but that was reduced to two games Saturday.
Friday night’s game was called off and rescheduled for Saturday as part of a doubleheader at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The Bruins split the doubleheader, dramatically winning the first game 7-5 before falling 3-2 in 12 innings in the second.
Sunday’s game was canceled due to the heavy rainfall on Saturday night, and there are no plans to reschedule the matchup.
With a chance to win the first game in the bottom of the ninth inning, sophomore right fielder Gabe Cohen, a freshman All-American last season, connected for a walk-off two-run home run to left field to give the Bruins their first win of the season.
“I was thinking he was going to throw a fastball,” Cohen said. “He hung a slider and I kind of just reacted to it. I was just happy to get the win for the team.
“It was a tough game, we had the lead, and then we let them back in. Getting that first win is really important because that first win is normally the most difficult. Once you get that one out of the way, the season really gets going.”
UCLA began the season on the right foot when the first three batters reached base in the bottom of the first. A sacrifice fly by designated hitter Cody Decker brought home third baseman Jermaine Curtis to get the Bruins on the board first. First baseman Casey Haerther made it 2-0 with a home run to left-center in the second inning.
Sophomore left-hander Gavin Brooks made his first start as staff ace. Brooks pitched five innings and gave up just one run on one hit, but did surrender five walks.
“Gavin struggled,” coach John Savage said. “He wasn’t really himself, and he didn’t command the fastball like he can. He was bothered by a blister, and he’s quite a bit better than the way he pitched.”
The Bruins led 2-1 through five innings. Then, a slight drizzle turned into heavier rainfall, causing the umpiring crew to delay the game for 35 minutes. To help protect the newly renovated playing surface, the players helped in laying out the tarp over the infield. Brooks did not return to the mound following the long delay.
“We tried to block (the weather) out,” Cohen said. “There was definitely a physical effect. But as players you try to overcome the environment and not think about it. When you’re in the game, there’s no excuses and both teams had to play in the environment.”
UCLA added three runs in the sixth to make it 5-1. Sophomore right-hander Charles Brewer was tagged for four runs in the top of the eighth inning and the game was tied at five. Then Cohen came up in the ninth to lift his team.
“It shows the character of this team,” Savage said. “We’ve been in that position quite a bit and we know how to come back. We were up and they came back, and then Gabe had the big two-run homer to win the ballgame. We showed some character in the first game.”
Junior left-hander Tim Murphy got the start in the second game. Murphy allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out four in six innings of work.
“Murphy was real good,” Savage said. “He’s a bulldog and a competitor. It shows a lot about his character and he showed a lot of fight.”
The Bruins’ bullpen was also solid in their six innings, led by junior left-hander Brendan Lafferty, who effectively pitched four innings without allowing any runs.
“The bullpen was really good today,” Savage said. “I thought (Matt) Drummond and (Dan) Klein did well in the first game and you cannot say enough about Lafferty and Klein in the second game. They went six innings and gave up one run. They really held them at bay and gave us a chance to win, but we just didn’t get it done.”