Wednesday, April 10, 1996
Long Beach State aggravates UCLA’s nonconference woesBy Brian
Purcell
Daily Bruin Contributor
In conference play, the UCLA baseball team can not seem to lose
a close game. In nonconference games, however, they can not seem to
win one, and the trend continued in Tuesday night’s 6-5 loss to
Long Beach State.
No. 10 UCLA (23-13 overall, 13-5 Six-Pac) took an early 5-1 lead
over the 49ers (23-15), thanks to three RBIs by Eric Byrnes and one
RBI each for Jack Santora and Eric Valent.
The lead lasted until the bottom of the fourth inning, when one
Bruin error and four Long Beach State singles led to four runs for
the 49ers, tying the game at five.
UCLA starting pitcher Nick St. George had been cruising up until
this point, and was simply the victim of bad luck in the fourth, as
none of Long Beach State’s singles were well hit. Somehow they
found the holes, however, and St. George wound up with a
no-decision for his five-inning effort. On the night he allowed 10
hits and two earned runs.
Ryan O’Toole came on to pitch for the Bruins in the sixth
inning, and he also had a strong outing, throwing two scoreless
innings to keep UCLA in the game.
The score remained deadlocked until the bottom of the eighth
inning, when with two men out and a runner on first, 49er
pinch-hitter Casey Snow lined an O’Toole pitch off the right field
fence, bringing in pinch-runner J.J. Newkirk, and giving Long Beach
State their first lead of the game.
The Bruins made things interesting in the top of the ninth as
the middle of the lineup was due to bat. Troy Glaus singled to
center with one out, and the next batter, Nick Theodorou was hit by
a pitch. This brought up Eric Valent and Eric Byrnes, two players
who had combined for five hits and four RBIs on the game.
A Bruin rally appeared to be in the making, but Long Beach State
closer Ryan Brammon (4-1) managed to settle down, and Valent and
Byrnes were both retired quietly to end the game.
Despite pitching three solid innings of relief, O’Toole was
saddled with the loss for the Bruins, who will next play in a
three-game set against the Arizona Wildcats this weekend at Jackie
Robinson Stadium.
UCLA’s performance in Six-Pac play will determine their seedings
in regionals, so weekend conference games will be the focus for the
remainder of the schedule.