UCLA baseball has enjoyed ripe pitching and timely hitting lately, but the team isn’t letting its success affect its mindset as the Bruins head into the heart of conference play.
Coach John Savage
Nearing the halfway point of conference play, No. 3 UCLA (26-7, 12-3 Pac-12) begins a three-game home series against California (22-11, 9-6) Thursday night
“It’s gonna be a competitive series. We expect Cal to be very good and we know we have to be at our very best,” Savage said.
Both sides of the ball have been feeding off each other lately, as the Bruins have only lost three of 15 Pac-12 games.
Junior infielder Brett Urabe said that the presence of veterans on the team has injected life into every slot of the batting order.
“(It benefits us) having older guys on the team with knowledge of how guys pitch you and helping the younger guys out and spreading the wealth,” Urabe said.
However, the bats can only take a team so far. Cal will put pressure on a UCLA pitching staff that appears to be in peak condition. The Bears are slugging .437 on the season
Savage said that the key is to control the momentum – prevent mistakes from turning into runs, and don’t allow leads to change the approach. UCLA did that Tuesday night against Fullerton
“(Pitching) goes hand in hand with defense,” Savage said. “(The pitchers) get a few run lead and they get a little more comfortable and they get a little more confident. It all flows together.”
However, the momentum can swing the other way too. Errors can lead to big innings and a dormant offense can cripple any team.
Redshirt sophomore pitcher Tucker Forbes
“You can’t dwell on the past; stay present and just treat every game the same,” Forbes said.
In a rinse-and-repeat, grind-it-out season, physical strength affects mental focus. After games, players trot from the dugout to the weight room to ensure that fatigue doesn’t get the best of them down the stretch.
“It’s a lot of games, but you make sure you take care of yourself off the field. Eat right, sleep right,” Forbes said.
Savage said he has seen no signs of fatigue and doesn’t expect his team to show signs of tiredness down the stretch.
“I think we’re in good shape physically and we just know we have a long path to go down,” Savage said.