A team is usually satisfied after winning a weekend series.
But after dropping the finale to UC Davis Sunday at Jackie Robinson Stadium, the UCLA baseball team was not content.
“We just didn’t play well in all aspects of the game,” redshirt junior outfielder Blair Dunlap said. “We didn’t pitch well, we didn’t play good defense, and we didn’t have timely hitting. We didn’t deserve to win.”
In a sense, Sunday’s loss overshadowed the No. 9 Bruins’ (2-1) victories on Friday and Saturday. Looking to get back in a winning groove, UCLA travels up the California coast to face UC Santa Barbara (2-1) today. Game time is slated for 2 p.m. at Caesar Uyeseka Stadium.
The Bruins tallied 18 runs combined Friday and Saturday. Yet, the pitching was the real story in the first two games. UCLA starters, sophomore left-hander Rob Rasmussen (Friday) and freshman right-hander Gerrit Cole (Saturday), combined to allow just one unearned run over 11 innings. The dominant duo struck out 12 Aggie batters and gave up just three hits over that span.
“The young guys threw the ball extremely well the first two days,” coach John Savage said.
Another young pitcher, sophomore left-hander Matt Grace, will get the starting nod today. Grace made three starts last season and has pitched two innings out of the bullpen this season.
The Bruins prevailed in last season’s meeting, beating the Gauchos 5-4 in a marathon, 13-inning affair at Jackie Robinson Stadium that lasted nearly six hours.
Following Sunday’s 8-7 loss, the Bruins are determined to duplicate what earned them their first two wins of the season.
“The first two games we executed really well,” Dunlap said. “But in the third game, we got away from our plan and struggled a bit.”
UCLA’s game plan was obvious, and it paid dividends in the first two games. Bruin hitters efficiently displayed an offensive philosophy implemented by new assistant coach Rick Vanderhook, which stresses patient aggressiveness. In the first three games, UCLA managed 30 walks and combined to steal nine bases. Dunlap led the team with four.
Like the offense, the Bruin defense took shape over the weekend.
Aside from mainstay infielder Casey Haerther, who has the ability to switch from first base to third base, the other three positions in UCLA’s infield were uncertainties heading into the three-game set.
Sophomore Niko Gallego, who made 11 starts at second base last year, started each of the three games at shortstop. The 20-year-old from Yorba Linda also batted leadoff in all three contests, scoring six runs while registering a .364 batting average and driving in four.
“Gallego has made tremendous strides,” Savage said. “He went out and was the best shortstop in the Northwoods League this past summer. Physically he’s gained 10 pounds and seems to be running as well as he ever has.”
Gallego’s aggressiveness on the basepaths, combined with his ability to get on base ““ he had four hits, walked three times, stole two bases, and was hit by two pitches over the weekend ““ are promising signs for an offense that lost previous leadoff batters Jermaine Curtis and Alden Carrithers to the professional ranks.
As encouraging as Gallego’s offensive production was over the weekend, Savage has stated that Gallego’s strength is with the glove. Defensively, Gallego does not possess the arm strength of former shortstop Brandon Crawford, but Savage feels that he has got a legitimate arm capable of handling the cross-diamond throw.
“His arm has gotten stronger,” Savage said. “Gallego really was a second baseman last year that we felt could make the switch (to shortstop). After the fall season we could tell that he was much stronger and that he was able to play shortstop. His foot speed allows him to play short.”
Playing alongside Gallego in the middle infield was senior Eddie Murray, who took over at second base for Carrithers. Since Carrithers and Gallego roamed second base last year, Murray played only a minor role, registering one hit in 15 at-bats.
Freshman Tyler Rahmatulla rounded out the infield as the starting third baseman for the first two games. According to Savage, Rahmatulla will see playing time all over the infield this season.
“It’s really going to be a rotation of guys,” Savage said.
Both Gallego and Rahmatulla are versatile enough to play at a variety of infield spots, and freshman Chris Amezquita has the arm strength to play at third base.
Amezquita made his debut in the seventh inning Friday night. The La Mirada native kicked off his collegiate career in a memorable way, hitting a pinch-hit two-run home run in his first at-bat as a Bruin. Amezquita doubled in another run in his first plate appearance Sunday, but struck out in three of his next four at-bats to strand five runners.
“The freshmen know what they’re getting into,” Savage said. “The accountability seems to be at an all-time high. The culture and environment is a positive one for a young player to join.”
Perhaps feeling the effects of playing in their first collegiate games, Rahmatulla and freshman catcher Steve Rodriguez combined to go 0-for-11 at the plate. Since UCLA has such a competitive schedule in the early part of the season, Savage believes that he will know what each player’s role is after the team plays 10 to 15 games.
“The freshmen are joining a team that has high expectations,” he said. “There are several players that have been to three postseasons. The older guys are doing a good job of letting the younger guys know what it takes to play in the Pac-10 and compete on the national scene.”