The UCLA baseball team fell behind three times on Tuesday night. Yet each time, they had an answer.
The Bruins’ defining response ““ a five-run outburst in the eighth inning ““ was the last one they needed to secure a 7-3 non-conference victory over No. 15 San Diego State at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
“(Tuesday night) was another example of us staying in the ball game and hanging around,” coach John Savage said.
UCLA (14-19) was in the ball game late, trailing the Aztecs (25-13) by just a run in the top half of the eighth inning. With the bases loaded, Bruin senior second baseman Eddie Murray stepped up to face Aztec right-hander James McLaughlin, who had already struck out four Bruins.
But Murray got the best of McLaughlin, driving a hanging slider for a double to deep left field. The tying and go-ahead runs would score on Murray’s clutch hit.
“I wasn’t sure until I started hearing cheering from our side,” Murray said. “That’s when I knew it was over (San Diego State left fielder Josh Chasse)’s head.”
Redshirt junior outfielder Blair Dunlap added a two-run double of his own a couple batters later to extend UCLA’s lead.
“We started rallying,” Murray said. “We knew that we had just caught our break. It was time to play baseball.”
UCLA received a strong pitching performance from junior starter Garett Claypool. The right-hander struck out a career-high eight hitters in just 5.1 innings by pounding the strike zone ““ 62 of his 98 pitches were strikes.
“Garett really commanded his fastball,” Savage said.
“I’m being more aggressive,” Claypool said. “Attacking the zone and getting ahead of guys has really helped me. I’m putting myself in better counts.”
Claypool, who leads the team in earned-run average, proved that he is worthy of being tabbed the midweek starter. After the game, Savage suggested that he plans on keeping Claypool in the midweek role.
“I’ll pitch wherever the (coaching staff) puts me,” Claypool said. “Whenever they need me, I’m just trying to get the job done.”
Claypool allowed solo home runs in each of the first two innings. But the Bruins responded on each occasion.
In the second inning, Murray singled to drive in junior outfielder Gabe Cohen. With the Bruins trailing 2-1 in the fourth, Cohen scored again, this time on a single off the bat of freshman Tyler Rahmatulla.
The timely hitting was crucial for a Bruin lineup that was without its No. 3 hitter, junior infielder Casey Haerther. Haerther, who fouled a pitch off of his foot in a game last weekend against Stanford, is listed as day-to-day.