Errors riddle match against Fullerton

Published: Thursday, February 26, 1998

Thursday, February 26, 1998

BASEBALL: Team slip ups, despite steady offense, lower fan morale, faith

By Kristina Wilcox

Daily Bruin Staff

Lots of Bruin fans must prefer music awards shows over college baseball, because it sure showed in the lack of attendance to last night's UCLA game vs. Cal State Fullerton.

The 246 people at Jackie Robinson Stadium were mostly scouts for major-league and college teams. Even the visiting Fullerton squad had more fans cheering them on than the Bruins did.

With that in mind, UCLA (7-8) has additional work to do as they try to keep their heads above water after 15 games. Not only do they have to win games to keep the fans, which they did not do on Wednesday night, but they also need to continue to believe in themselves as a team.

The Bruins lost to the Titans (8-5), 11-8. UCLA put together some good offense, but that was not enough for them to pull out a victory, as it might have been last season.

"The club has been doing good with the bats," hitting coach Vince Beringhele said. "We just can't get the wins."

Defensive errors during the course of the game helped Fullerton score a few times. Of the 11 runs that crossed the plate, four were unearned. Without the three errors, UCLA could have won the ball game, especially since the errors occurred in the pivotal eighth and ninth innings.

Third baseman Garrett Atkins bobbled a tough chopper for the first error of the eighth inning, which was followed by relief pitcher Bobby Roe's miscue on a sacrifice bunt. Both runners, who could have been the the second and third outs, went on to score, as well as the following hitter, who got on base via a walk. Another walk would score in the ninth inning.

Head coach Gary Adams recalled Atkins' play as one of the key points in the game: "I think he could have made the play," Adams said. "It wasn't an easy choice to call that and error or a hit. On the bench, half of us were signalling error, and the other said it was a hit. If he handled the ball, he would have gotten the guy out at first because of his great arm."

UCLA rides a four-game losing streak into a big weekend against No. 2 USC.

"The challenge is just beginning," Beringhele said. "The team needs to keep believing in themselves and stick together."

Maybe fans will unglue themselves from television sets and get out to see them play.