After seven consecutive losses, the UCLA baseball team is reeling.
To make matters worse, it’s not getting any easier this weekend.
The Bruins, who rank No. 1 in difficulty of schedule, travel to Norman, Okla. to face No. 16 Oklahoma in a three-game set at the Sooners’ L. Dale Mitchell Park.
For UCLA, the weekend is another opportunity to knock off a ranked opponent. UCLA’s last four losses have come against teams ranked in the top half of Baseball America’s college rankings. If facing perennial national power Oklahoma wasn’t enough, UCLA’s upcoming schedule is just as difficult.
After the weekend, UCLA returns home to face UC Santa Barbara, a team the Bruins have already lost to this season, and San Diego State, a highly regarded team. It’s clear that the Bruins’ third win won’t be easy to obtain.
“We’ve got the talent, we’ve got the tools, and now we just need to string it all together and find a way to win,” sophomore infielder Niko Gallego said.
Upon the conclusion of their trip to Texas last weekend, the Bruins, who were ranked No. 9 heading into the Houston College Classic tournament, lost to three top-10 teams and dropped from the poll.
Despite the disheartening defeats and going winless for 13 days, the team remains optimistic about its potential to perform at a high level. All it takes, according to Gallego, is confidence.
“When people come up with runners in scoring position we’ve got to trust that the guy (at the plate) will come through,” Gallego said. “If we all start believing, it will all come through and we’ll be headed in the right direction.”
The Bruins’ starting pitches will also have to stay consistent if the team hopes to erase the slump. So far this season, the Friday and Saturday starters have delivered solid outings. Sophomore left-hander Rob Rasmussen, the Friday starter, has recorded an impressive 2.45 ERA in 11 innings. Rasmussen is slated to oppose Oklahoma junior right-hander Andrew Doyle in today’s game.
“He’s an impressive pitcher and has a great arm,” UCLA coach John Savage said of Doyle. “We have to use the whole field and find ways to get hits.”
The Bruins’ starting pitchers for Saturday and Sunday have yet to be announced. No matter who takes the mound, Bruin pitchers have to carry the load for an offense that has struggled to hit with runners in scoring position this season.
Crucial hitting situations are sure to arise against Oklahoma this weekend. But that’s just a taste of things to come. Gallego said that playing a difficult schedule exposes the team to the highest level of competition and thus prepares the members for more challenging situations.
“The only way to become the best is to beat the best,” he said. “If we keep going against these guys and keep playing our game, hopefully we’ll come out on top.”