A highly touted UCLA offense, which has been fighting inconsistency this season, displayed its full potential over the weekend against Cal Poly at Baggett Stadium in San Luis Obispo. The No. 11 Bruins (10-5) lost the first game to the Mustangs (7-9) before winning the final two games, earning their first series win away from Jackie Robinson Stadium.
After posting 11 runs last week in a win over Pepperdine, the Bruin offense posted a total of 30 runs in the three-game set, led by second baseman Alden Carrithers, who tallied 10 hits during the series.
“He had a hitter’s dream weekend,” coach John Savage said. “He used the entire field, hit good pitching, drove in runners, and started rallies. You can’t say enough about how he’s swinging the bat.”
In the first game Thursday night, Carrithers had four hits to help UCLA score eight runs off 17 hits. Junior left-handed pitcher Tim Murphy had thrown 20 consecutive scoreless innings before allowing two runs with two outs in the first inning. Yet the Bruin bats responded with two runs in each of the next two innings to take their first lead of the game. The Mustangs tagged Murphy for another three runs in their half of the fourth, only to have the Bruins tie the score on a solo shot by right fielder Gabe Cohen in the fifth inning.
Trailing by a run in the eighth, the Bruins scored two more to take a late 8-7 lead. Cal Poly rallied for two runs in the ninth inning to end the game in walk-off fashion and send UCLA its fifth loss of the season. Although the offensive outburst was not enough to defeat a pesky Cal Poly team, the Bruin offense’s ability to fight back did not go unnoticed.
“There was a lot of examples of that this weekend,” Carrithers said. “They would put up runs and we’d come back. It says a lot about our team and offense coming around; we’re hitting and feeling good. It’s nice to be able to do that.”
After the heartbreaking loss the previous night, UCLA got off to another unfavorable start in the game on Friday night. Freshman right-handed pitcher Dan Klein made the start and allowed five runs on five hits without retiring a batter. Savage replaced Klein with sophomore right-hander Charles Brewer, who only allowed a run on four hits while striking out nine in his first career complete game.
“I was just glad to come in the first inning,” Brewer said. “I had to come into the game with a mentality where we had to win and shut them down. I ended up rolling and going nine innings.”
Trailing by five runs, the offense immediately countered with seven runs in the following inning to take a two-run lead. The Bruins scored a few more and never looked back, winning 10-6 to draw the series even at one game apiece. While the offense did its part in battling back, Brewer excelled in limiting the Mustangs once he entered the game in relief.
“I’ve never seen a reliever come in and get credit for nine innings; that’s a first,” Savage said. “Klein got hit around and Charles came in to settle things down. He really stepped up and was the turning point of the series.”
The offense managed a dozen runs on 14 hits in Saturday afternoon’s rubber-match game, which lasted well over five hours due to a pair of rain delays. The top of the batting order played a significant role in the 12-9 win. Third baseman Jermaine Curtis and Carrithers combined for four runs, seven hits and seven runs batted in.
Left-handed starting pitcher Gavin Brooks (1-0) earned his first victory of the season, giving up five runs in five innings pitched.
With the game tied at five in the sixth inning, Curtis launched a two-run home run. The Bruins were only up by a run in the final frame when Carrithers’ 10th and final hit of the weekend produced a pair of runs to give the team a comfortable three-run lead.
“(This series) gives us a lot of confidence offensively,” Savage said. “A lot of guys had a big week and it’s great to see because conference is two weeks away. We need to be swinging the bats like we are capable because the Pac-10 is such an offensive league and we need to be ready to go when the season starts at Tucson.”