Titans outrun Bruins down the stretch
By Ruben Gutierrez
After playing within one run of the Titans of Cal State Fullerton for nine innings, the young UCLA baseball team received a reality check in the final inning.
Despite mustering only four hits offensively, UCLA was only trailing Fullerton 3-2 entering the ninth inning. Bruin pitcher Mike Caravelli began the inning by walking rightfielder Jeremy Giambi. Caravelli struck out the next batter, but catcher Jack Jones tallied a double and reached third base on a UCLA error, driving in Giambi. The next batter, center fielder Mark Kotsay, hit a single to bring Jones home. Suddenly, the gap had widened to 5-2 and Caravelli was yanked in favor of freshman pitcher Ryan O' Toole. While the first batter O'Toole faced grounded out, Kotsay advanced to second. Kotsay then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Catcher Brian Lloyd then hit a line drive to center field to score Kotsay and end the scoring.
"I felt we were going to win it all the way along, even when we walked the lead off man," UCLA coach Gary Adams. "(Caravelli) threw two quick strikes to the number nine hitter, then all of a sudden it's three and two. He's been successful all year pitching the ball down then at three and two he has to come in with it fast and the guy hits a double down the line."
The Bruins began the bottom of the ninth inning with a glimmer of hope, as pinch hitter Scott Seal led off with a single. Fullerton pitcher Mark Chavez then proceeded to strike out the next three Bruin batters and earn the save.
Offensively, UCLA had a bright spot in senior Gar Vallone, who was being utilized in the designated hitter role instead of his usual role as the starting shortstop. Vallone was two for four from the plate and was walked once.
Besides Vallone's efforts, the team could manage only three other hits, one apiece from shortstop Troy Glaus, second baseman Brett Nista and pinch hitter Scott Seal.
"I felt like our hitters could've done a better job," Adams said. "Sometimes they swung at pitches they shouldn't have swung at, sometimes they let the umpire get to them a little bit. Little things showed our immaturity.
"We're a young club and we went through a few growing pains today. I think by the end of the season we don't lose a game like this, we win a game like this at the end of the season."
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Today UCLA travels to UC Santa Barbara to take on the Gauchos (2 p.m.). UCSB currently has only one loss in the young season, after taking two of three from a highly regarded Santa Clara team.
"Santa Clara is ranked eighteenth in the country and UCSB just beat them two out of three. I saw them play on Sunday and they're a good ball club," said Adams.
Rick Heineman will be the starting pitcher for the Bruins, who have had to shuffle their defensive lineup around considerably due to injuries. Besides Vallone's arm injury, starting center fielder Brett Schafer is also tending to a similar injury. Catcher Tim DeCinces, an All-America candidate, is out two weeks with an arm injury. Zak Ammirato was the catcher against Fullerton, after having moved to third when Troy Glaus moved to shortstop to replace Vallone. Travis Boyd replaced Ammirato in the lineup at third last night.