It wasn’t the type of walk-off that the team is accustomed to, but the UCLA baseball team will take it.
With one out and two on in the bottom of the ninth and the scored tied at 2-2, pinch hitter Cody Decker hit a grounder to Virginia third baseman Tyler Cannon in what appeared to be a routine ground out. But first baseman Jeremy Farrell was unable to see Cannon’s throw due to the sun, and it sailed past him as the UCLA runner raced around from second to score the winning run for a 3-2 victory over Virginia in the opening game of the Fullerton Regional.
“In my coaching career, I don’t know if I’ve ever lost a game like that,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “If you’re around the game of baseball long enough, you’ll see things that you will never see before. That’s why it’s a great game, but it doesn’t feel very good right now. But it happened to us.”
The Bruins will now play the winner of No. 1 Cal State Fullerton and No. 4 Rider on Saturday at 8 p.m.
It was a scrappy game for the Bruins, who saw an impressive pitching performance from starter Tim Murphy, great defensive plays and small-ball offense. All told, at the end of the day, it came down to that last crucial error.
“(The) game could have gone either way,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “Two good teams ““ ACC team and Pac-10 team ““ (and it) came down to the wire. Tough loss for Virginia losing the ball in the sun, for sure. But a lot of guys stepped up on our side for sure, and Murphy really was the story for us.”
One year removed from a tremendous pitching performance in the Long Beach Regional, Murphy turned in another quality outing in a playoff setting. While Murphy did not get the win, he went a strong 7 2/3 innings, throwing 114 pitches ““ 79 strikes ““ allowing two runs (one earned) off eight hits while striking out four.
“It’s always fun to be in the regional, play in the regionals,” Murphy said. “It’s what we play for all year, and we’re here now, so it’s time to take care of business.”
Murphy felt that his command ““ especially with the fastball ““ was the key to his success on the mound.
“Every time you go out there, you want to give your team a chance to win,” Murphy said. “You want to compete. It’s you versus that hitter, and that’s what it boils down to.”
The Bruins got on the board in the first inning on a series of small-ball type plays. After third baseman Jermaine Curtis doubled to left-center, center fielder Blair Dunlap reached on a drag bunt, moving Curtis to third. Second baseman Alden Carrithers proceeded to drive in Curtis off a high chopper to first base for an early 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Bruins led off with three consecutive singles. Then with one out, left fielder Mickey Weisser extended the lead to 2-0 with a double to center.
“It’s fundamental baseball,” Savage said. “You’re looking for one run, you get a sac down. We’re fortunate he didn’t tag the runner going down the line. Every play matters, especially on the West. You better have a good bunting game, and you better be able to defend the bunting game.”
Like last year in the Long Beach Regional, the Bruins were able to start the postseason with a win, setting the tone for what they hope will be a similar run to the NCAA Super Regionals.
“Like coach said, we just wanted to go out there and compete and take one inning, one pitch at a time,” Curtis said. “We came back successfully. Now we go on to game two. Just gotta take it one game at a time.”
For Savage, everything is heightened in the regionals, and every little play is crucial.
“Whenever you get into regional settings, it’s like playoff basketball ““ it’s one play, one foul,” Savage said. “It’s a walk, it’s a flare. The last play of the game: It’s such a tough way to lose for Virginia because a guy loses it in the sun and the game’s over. It’s fun to watch regional baseball because everything matters ““ all the details matter ““ and tonight we were fortunate to come out on top.”