After a slow series against Washington last weekend, the Bruins
were looking for an offensive spark coming into this weekend
against Washington State.
Apparently they found it.
With 22 runs in the three-game series, the UCLA baseball team
(18-14, 3-3) won its first Pac-10 series of the year, taking two of
three from the Washington State Cougars (22-12, 4-5). Led by
freshman Brandon Crawford, who scored three runs and had five RBI,
the Bruins were able to put to rest any worries about their ability
to deal with Pac-10 pitching.
“I’m just seeing the ball well right now,”
Crawford said. “This series was huge. Hopefully we gain some
momentum heading into Arizona this weekend.”
Crawford’s biggest hit of the series, a grand slam in the
9-5 victory on Friday, may have been overshadowed by the smallest
of hits on Sunday.
With runners on first and third and two outs in the sixth
inning, Crawford laid down a bunt to the first base side that
knocked in two runs thanks to a throwing error by the Cougars
pitcher. Those runs put the Bruins ahead for the rest of the game,
which they ultimately won 10-7.
“We talked about bunting it because the first basemen was
playing me back a little bit,” Crawford said.
“It’s nice that it paid off the way it did.”
The Bruins survived on Sunday despite a bit of a rocky start
from junior pitcher Tyson Brummett, who gave up four runs in five
and one-third innings, though only two of them were earned.
“I just struggled early,” Brummett said. “I
had good stuff and everything was flowing. My fastball might have
been running a little bit. The defense was huge today ““ they
made some big plays behind me.”
Crawford, along with swinging the bat well, had a very strong
defensive game. The shortstop recorded the game’s final out
on an over-the-back diving catch into left field. He also gunned a
runner at first on a slow-rolling ground ball he barehanded.
Saturday’s game was a 4-3 loss to the Cougars. The game
went into the 10th inning tied 3-3, but the Cougars were able to
scratch out a run on a ground ball. Junior pitcher David Huff went
eight and one-third innings in the no-decision.
“Washington State’s very much improved from last
year,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “They’re a
lot like us. In pitching, defense, hitting, speed ““ you name
it, we’re both improved. This was a big series win against a
very good team.”
The Bruins needed the wins after their tough first conference
series last week against the Huskies. Redshirt junior pitcher
Hector Ambriz, who started Friday night’s game, came on in
relief to close out the series on Sunday, which indicates the
importance of the series victory.
“There’s a ton of parity in the Pac-10,”
Savage said. “We’re 3-3, but the good news is we just
did a good job of protecting home field.”