As the UCLA baseball team prepares for the NCAA Regionals for
only the 12th time in the program’s history, Dave Huff
figures to play a pivotal role in his team’s postseason
success. In his first year in Westwood after transferring from
Cypress Community College, the junior left-hander has been the
Bruins’ most consistent starting pitcher, posting a 7-3
record with a 2.82 ERA. On the final day of the regular season,
Huff shut down the Oregon State lineup, giving up one earned run in
7.1 innings of work to earn UCLA a 3-1 win and a series split. Huff
and fellow transfer Tyson Brummett have stabilized the
Bruins’ starting rotation, as UCLA carries a 17-11 record in
the pitchers’ starts this season. Although Hector Ambriz is
not considered one of the elite aces in the country, UCLA coach
John Savage has three quality pitchers he can spread across a
series. The triumvirate has been more than competent during the
regular season, but it makes the Bruins that much more dangerous in
the postseason. The double-elimination format of regional play
typically rewards teams with starting pitchers who can carry them
to the College World Series. If UCLA is to make it all the way to
Omaha, then Huff will likely set the tone when he takes the mound
on Saturday. “He might be the best Saturday guy in the
country,” Savage said. “He gives us really good
matchups (out of the No. 2 spot), so we’re confident we can
pick up wins on the other days. It’s tough to measure exactly
what he has meant to us this year. He essentially came in and gave
us two Friday night guys, and we’ll definitely be counting on
him in regionals.”
HUFF’S FUTURE: Huff is widely considered
to be closing out his first and last season at UCLA. He is
projected to be a mid-to-late-first-round selection in the MLB
Amateur Draft in June. Huff has attended three different schools in
three years. He was originally recruited by Savage while Savage was
still coaching at UC Irvine. There are a handful of organizations
interested in drafting the lefty, including the New York Yankees,
San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox, Huff said. While there have
been more scouts closely monitoring his starts as he has pitched in
higher-profile games, Huff says he isn’t fretting over the
chance to improve his draft stock with a head-turning performance
in the postseason. “From what I’ve heard, teams
generally have made up their mind what they think of me,” he
said. “How I do from here on will matter to the team, and not
the draft.”