Wednesday, April 10, 1996
Baseball hopes to win Rainbows game with hurler combinationBy
Yoni Tamler
Daily Bruin Staff
UCLA baseball head coach Gary Adams is not one to make bold
predictions. When speaking about another team before a game, the
modest skipper is usually more deferential than anything else.
"I’m gonna come right out and say Tuesday will be our first
Tuesday win," Adams said.
Say what, Gary? Beat an opponent in a mid-week game? On the only
day of the week UCLA (23-15, 14-7 Six-Pac) is winless? Against a
nonleague opponent?
But Adams isn’t kidding, and neither are the Bruins, who are
still smarting from their series loss to Arizona this weekend. And
although this afternoon’s 3 p.m. match up with the Rainbows (28-18)
at Jackie Robinson Stadium won’t figure in the Six-Pac standings,
UCLA is itching to prove that it can win against whoever,
whenever.
To accomplish that in today’s game and Wednesday’s game against
San Diego State, UCLA will use a collection of hurlers. Junior Nick
St. George (0-1, 5.01) is expected to receive one of the starts,
with Ryan Lynch the probable starter in the other game.
Neither St. George nor Lynch will pitch more than approximately
three innings, so look for Ryan O’Toole, Matt Klein and Jake Meyer
to get the ball sometime this week before the Bruins host Arizona
State in a three-game series next weekend.
The Bruins are coming off their worst showing in Six-Pac play
this year, having lost two games to Arizona at Jackie Robinson
Stadium. Hawaii recently completed a four-game series with Cal
State Northridge, in which the Rainbows were able to come away with
a split from the upstart No. 8 Matadors.
In February, the Bruins took two out of three from Hawaii by
scores of 12-4 and 11-6. In the latter victory Nick Theodorou had
four RBIs. Theodorou also leads the Bruins with his .378 batting
average in league.
* * *
Eric Byrnes should return to the Bruin lineup after sitting out
Sunday’s 5-4 loss to Arizona. After a slow start, Byrnes has been a
pitcher’s nightmare, tearing up opposing teams for a .317 batting
average and a club-leading 32 RBIs.
* * *
Eric Valent’s 13-game hitting streak was snapped after the
freshman center fielder went 0-for-3 in UCLA’s 19-13 loss on
Saturday. Valent’s streak was the longest by a Bruin this year.
* * *
One week after tying the school record for doubles, Tim DeCinces
collected his record 50th double in the fourth inning of Saturday’s
game.