Heading into the bottom of Sunday’s first inning down 2-0, it looked like the same old story for the UCLA baseball team.
The Bruins’ (19-16, 4-5 Pac-10) offense had failed them in the two previous losses to No. 10 Stanford ““ 4-1 on Friday and 6-1 on Saturday ““ and an early two-run deficit against the hot-hitting Cardinal (21-12-2, 8-4 Pac-10) seemed like a recipe for another loss.
Yet the Bruin bats finally came alive, exploding for eight runs off 11 hits en route to salvaging an 8-2 win. The win helped the Bruins avoid a sweep and stay within striking distance of .500 in the competitive Pac-10 standings.
Following the game, the sense of jubilation and relief in the clubhouse was palpable.
“I think that it was a flat must-win,” coach John Savage said. “The difference between 3-6 and 4-5 in this conference: It’s night and day. … You can’t afford to get swept. If we want to be in the upper echelon of this conference, we need to start winning series.”
Currently, the second- and eighth-place teams are separated by just a game and a half. Arizona State and Cal are tied for second place at 7-5; Oregon State, USC and Arizona follow at 6-6; and UCLA and Washington trail close behind at 4-5.
Sophomore Gavin Brooks (4-2) took the mound for the Bruins, giving up two runs off four hits while striking out six in six innings. While Brooks fell behind batters in the first inning, leading to the two early runs, he was able to settle down for the rest of the game, getting ahead of batters and commanding his slider.
“Unfortunately, the first inning is kind of shaky for me sometimes,” Brooks said. “Once I get through that first inning, I know what I need to do, I know what I need to correct. I just need to get ahead of hitters. I was getting behind a little bit in the first inning, and they were seeing some fastballs that they knew were coming.”
The win was Brooks’ third consecutive, evidence that the left-hander may finally be rounding into form after an early season injury set him back.
“He’s throwing the ball much better,” Savage said. “He’s being very competitive. His stuff is better, his fastball, slider, change are more effective. … I mean, he’s won a couple huge games this year so far in conference. We needed him to step up, and he did.”
The Bruins’ offense also finally stepped up. Before Sunday, UCLA had managed only two runs off 17 hits in the last three games. But the Bruins’ hitters came through with two runs in the first inning, one in the second and three in the third.
Sparking the Bruins was sophomore first baseman Casey Haerther, who went 2-for-4, including a solo home run in the first.
“We were struggling offensively,” Haerther said. “I struggled yesterday, so I just wanted to jump on the first pitch I saw. I got a strike and, you know, hit it out, lucky enough.”
Following the game, Savage said his team showed a lot of character in putting the losses and recent offensive troubles past them.
“It’s just been a tough week,” Savage said. “This is the most difficult week that we have had in a long time. … We salvaged a series. That’s all you can say.”