Bruins sweep Cal in three-game series

Published: Monday, March 31, 1997

Monday, March 31, 1997

BASEBALL:

MVPs Glaus and Zamora lead UCLA in demolishing BearsBy Kristina Wilcox

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

UCLA wrapped up a splendid spring break on the baseball diamond Saturday by completing a three-game sweep of California, 8-1.

The Bruins' three left-handed starting pitchers dominated the Golden Bears (13-23, 1-14 Pac-10), as they led the Bruins (28-6-1, 8-4) to victory.

Starting pitcher Peter Zamora and shortstop Troy Glaus were named the most valuable players of Saturday's game.

Zamora pitched eight innings, allowing only one run on a home run by Cal right fielder Juan Hernandez in the fourth inning. He walked none and struck out two, which made for a fast game that lasted two hours and 41 minutes.

"I just wanted to get ahead," Zamora said. "The last couple of games, I was having trouble throwing strikes right away. I was always pitching from behind. Today I just wanted to get ahead of the hitters on either of the first one or two pitches. And I ended up getting ahead on the first pitch a majority of the time. It just happens. It felt great."

Zamora also had a great day at the plate. Ordinarily, the pitcher would not bat in the game, but since Zamora does so well at the plate going into the Cal series, he was the league's leader in batting average he was in the lineup as the "designated hitter." He went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

He led off the second inning for the Bruins with a home run to right field, his 13th homer of the year. "That home run was on an outside fastball," Zamora said. "I hit it good."

Home runs also flew off the bats of Glaus and left fielder Jon Heinrichs. Glaus hit two on the afternoon, his 15th and 16th of the season. That ties his 1996 total.

"I'd like to see another 16," hitting coach Vince Beringhele said, when asked what else he would like out of Glaus this season.

Glaus hit them in back-to-back at-bats in the fifth and sixth innings. His first one was an opposite-field fly to right field, while the second one was a no-doubter to left center field.

"He swung the bat well," Beringhele said. "I mean, the first ball that he hit out, he didn't hit it real well, but he's so mechanically sound that he got enough of it. The wind was blowing out to right a bit. He's just a good hitter. The second one, he got pretty good. People are pitching around him. Other guys are hitting the ball well, so they're having to pitch to him. He's staying within himself, not trying to do too much."

Glaus seemed especially proud of the first homer when talking about it after the game.

"To be a good hitter you have to use the whole field," Glaus said. "I've been working on that. I'm trying to use the whole field better."

Heinrichs hit his 15th home run of the season to lead off the game, getting everything off to a quick start for the Bruins. That was the fourth time this year he has led off the game with a home run.

The other two games in the series were also characterized by superb starting pitching.

Defending Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week Tom Jacquez threw a complete game shutout in Friday night's 9-0 win, allowing three hits and striking out six batters. It was his first career shutout.

"I just got ahead of batters," Jacquez said of his stellar performance. "I didn't walk anyone; I just got ahead of batters. I felt pretty confident because Casey (catcher Casey Cloud) and I were working well tonight."

"He was outstanding," Cloud said of his battery mate. "He worked fast, changed speeds, (and) threw strikes. He got the leadoff guy out 9 out of 9 times, which is big. His tempo was great. That really makes a difference for a pitcher and for umpires also, they like to see that. Guys being fast and being around the plate, stuff like that. We get more calls. It's a pleasure to watch him pitch like that."

Thursday night was Jim Parque's turn to shine. He went eight innings, surrendering one run on six hits, walking three and striking out 10 batters. The Bruins won that game 13-1.

Head coach Gary Adams had plenty to be pleased with: "They (Jacquez and Parque) were outstanding. Our pitching left nothing to be desired."

Indeed.

In the other games over the break, the Bruins took two of three games from crosstown rivals USC and they won their game against Cal State Los Angeles.

CHARLES KUO/Daily Bruin

Shortstop Troy Glaus played well in the field and also hit his 16th home run, bringing his total up to match last year's.