The UCLA baseball team, which has been fighting inconsistency all year, will not lack the motivation to continue improving this weekend. That is because the No. 23 Bruins (13-10, 2-1 Pac-10) play host to crosstown-rival USC (13-14, 2-4 Pac-10) during a crucial three-game series at Jackie Robinson Stadium starting tonight at 6 p.m.
After losing four games in a row during spring break, UCLA has now won three of its last four. USC is the second opponent in the Bruins’ current 13-game home stand.
Aside from the significance of potentially beating the rival team, the series serves a greater purpose: maintaining the momentum the Bruins created in last weekend’s series win at Arizona. A strong performance in the second Pac-10 series of the season would give the Bruins momentum heading forward, something they have struggled to sustain this season.
But doing so in this three-game set will not be an easy task.
“(The Trojans) pitch well,” coach John Savage said. “They have experienced pitching and proved that against Arizona in the week before last. They have a good, young position-player team with experienced pitching, so they are a very typical Pac-10 team.”
This season, the Trojans have a series win over Arizona, but were swept on the road against Arizona State last weekend. They had lost six straight games on the road before winning at San Diego on Wednesday night.
Savage hopes his starting pitchers match the Trojans’ experienced hurlers.
In tonight’s game, junior left-hander Tim Murphy (2-1) will be opposed by fellow lefty Tommy Milone (3-2). Sophomore right-handed pitcher Charles Brewer (3-2) will draw right-hander Ryan Cook (3-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Bruins will send sophomore left-handed pitcher Gavin Brooks (1-2) to the hill on Sunday afternoon against a Trojan starter to be announced.
Savage made it clear when asked what the team hopes to receive from his weekend rotation.
“We want innings,” Savage said. “We need six to seven innings so we can get a little deeper into that bullpen later in the game. We’re looking for Brooks, Brewer and Murphy to step up and pitch well. They are very capable of doing it and it’d be nice for them all to do it together this weekend.”
Offensively, the lineup has slowly begun to fulfill its potential, producing quality at-bats. The top of the order, led by Jermaine Curtis, Alden Carrithers, and Brandon Crawford, have allowed later hitters to contribute. First baseman Casey Haerther, who had a pair of hits on Tuesday night versus San Diego State, has done his part by hitting .611 (11-for-18) over the last four games.
“I’m just seeing the ball big right now,” Haerther said. “When I get a pitch to hit, I’m hitting it. I also have the luxury of seeing three to four guys ahead of me and seeing them have good at-bats. As long as we do that and communicate with each other on what the pitcher has, we’re going to have a lot of fun.”
The Bruins beat the Trojans in an exhibition game earlier this year in the finale of the Urban Invitational baseball tournament at Dedeaux Field on the USC campus. Carrithers, who leads all Bruins in hitting, doubled to drive in two runs late in that game to give UCLA a thrilling 4-3 victory. The non-conference-season win extended the winning streak over the Trojans to five games.
Although the team hopes to play each of their games in a similarly successful fashion, Savage admits the rivalry between the two schools brings additional intensity to the diamond.
“We try to play every weekend the same way,” Savage said. “The players know it’s the Los Angeles rivalry with two storied programs that have strong tradition of Major League players. It’s UCLA-USC and we hope to get a good fan base this weekend with people coming out to support the Bruins.”