Nearly two weeks ago, UCLA baseball played its longest game of the year so far – a 13-inning contest against Washington.
The game lasted four hours and 34 minutes, testing the will and resolve of both teams. UCLA senior closer David Berg went well beyond his usual pitch count, going a career-high six innings – which was more than either of the starters threw. Meanwhile, the Bruins battled back from a deficit, relinquished their lead, then finally seized it permanently with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 13th.
After the game, Berg had a feeling that the effects of that dramatic, come-from-behind win would not be forgotten anytime soon.
“To make sure that we got that win was big time for the team,” Berg said on March 15. “Just in terms of, like, belief – you feel that, it builds for you when you can get a win like that. You always have that in the memory banks now.”
As it turns out, Berg was right.
No. 9 UCLA’s longest game of the year has also turned out to be its most enduring so far. The Bruins (21-5, 8-1 Pac-12) have won a season-high seven straight games since – including three wins over Washington State this past weekend – buoyed by the momentum they established in that 13-inning win over the Huskies.
“That third game of the Pac-12 against Washington could have gone either way – it went our way, and we built off that,” said coach John Savage.
This past Tuesday, UCLA’s experience from that Washington game was on full display against San Diego State (22-6, 10-2 Mountain West). The Bruins were once again caught in an extra-inning battle that saw them gain and lose the lead twice. UCLA could have mailed it in on the road, but the team fought back once again in the 13th, delivering key hits to produce the win.
“We had a big 13-inning win against San Diego State this past Tuesday, which was a road win, and since then it’s kind of been carrying over,” Savage said.
UCLA faced a similar dose of adversity Sunday against Washington State (12-14, 1-8). The Bruins began the game with what Savage called their “worst inning” of the year so far, committing two errors and allowing the Cougars to score three runs.
The Bruins recorded just one hit through the first three innings, making their three-run deficit seem even greater. But just like the Washington and San Diego State games from the weeks before, UCLA emerged late. The Bruins exploded for eight runs over the final six innings to win the game 8-4.
“We had a little bit of a rough first inning (Sunday), but that type of confidence in the team and each other a walk-off win gives – we carry that over every single game from now on and it’s helped us a lot,” Berg said.
After a rocky stretch in early March that saw UCLA lose four of six, the Washington game on March 15 has seemingly put the Bruins on a smoother path. The team has been rolling ever since.
“I think for us to pull that (Washington win) out and get the momentum really helps us out,” said sophomore first baseman Luke Persico.