University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Oklahoma St
UCLA hands Oklahoma State first loss in regional action, 12-6
June 21, 1999 | Baseball
WICHITA, Kan. - UCLA (31-29) defeated Oklahoma State (40-18), 12-6, behind a strong pitching performance from freshmman Josh Karp and a 18-hit attack by the Bruin offense.
Karp (8-3) shut down the Cowboys, ranked No.-20 in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll, as he went six 2/3 innings, allowing only one run on three hits while striking out eight. Second baseman Chase Utley (2-for-6, 2 RBI) and leftfielder Bill Scott (3-for-6, HR, 4 RBI) supplied all of the offense that UCLA needed, leading the Bruins to victory.
UCLA took a 2-0 lead on OSU starter Matt Smith (9-5), who got the loss, as the Bruins put together a mini-rally in the top of the fourth. Third baseman Nick Lyon started the rally after he drove in first baseman Garrett Atkins (4-for-5, HR, 3 RBI), who had laced a two-out double, on an RBI single to right field. After moving to second on his first stolen base of the season, Lyon advanced to third on an infield single by right fielder Matt Pearl, and scored on a throwing error by OSU shortstop Billy Gasparino.
An inning later, the Bruins struck again when Utley connected for his 15th home run of the season, putting UCLA up by a 3-0 count. Following a squib single by Scott, Atkins scattered his second hit of the game with a single to right, moving Scott to third. After Smith walked catcher Jason Green to load the bases, UCLA took a 4-0 lead after Lyon drew a free pass, but Smith fanned Pearl with the bases loaded.
Oklahoma State threatened in the fiftth inning, but the Cowboys' threat was stopped after a UCLA 3-1-2 double play. After OSU catcher Ryan Budde chopped a grounder to first, Atkins tossed the ball to Karp, who fired the ball to Green, who tagged out OSU second baseman Kevin Lucas in a collision at home plate.
The Bruins padded their lead in the sixth, pushing the margin to 5-0. Centerfielder Charles Merricks led off the inning with a double, and later scored on an RBI single by Utley. After Ryan Herrmann replaced Smith on the mound, Scott delivered a two-run home run, giving the Bruins a 7-0 edge. With the blast, Scott tied George Arias' (Arizona) Pac-10 record by hitting a home run in his seventh consecutive game.
In the bottom of the sixth, OSU finally solved UCLA's Karp as Gasparino knocked hit his 23rd home run of the season, pulling the Cowboys to a 7-1 margin However, with a runner on first and one out, Karp fanned leftfielder Mike Lorsbach and got designated hitter Carlos Gautreaux to ground into a fielder's choice.
UCLA added five runs in the ninth, which was triggered by a two-run double by Scott, and followed by a three-run home run by Atkins, pushing the Bruin lead to 12-2.
NOTES UCLA's Bill Scott tied George Arias' (Arizona) Pac-10 record by hitting a home run in seven consecutive games The Bruins have hit 22 home runs in their last six games UCLA's Garrett Atkins has six home runs in his last six games UCLA advances to play the winner of the Oral Roberts/Wichita State game tomorrow at 3 p.m. Oklahoma State will play in an elimination game versus the loser of ORU/WSU at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning
Post Game Quotes Oklahoma State
Head Coach Tom Holliday
"We had a shot at Josh Karp early and we didn't get him. He showed why he's a million dollar pitcher."
"We wanted to score first today and it was an awkward turn of events. It becomes psychological. The five runs in the ninth hurt, and the way the kids were banging the ball around in the ninth gives us something to comeback on tomorrow."
Pitcher Matt Smith
"I don't think the heat got to me but something got to me in the fourth. They got a few breaks and scored a few runs. I didn't think the score was going to be the way it was today."
" I was trying to overpower my fastball, and I think that's what hurt me. I'm my toughest critic. I don't expect to give up five or six runs, and when I step on the mound, I expect to win."
Shortstop Billy Gasparino
"Karp had a good changeup/splitfinger pitcher that he threw a lot and he had a lot more control than we had heard he had."
"We'll have to pick up our offense tomorrow because our pitching will get thin. We're going to have to put up some runs, something we didn't do today."
UCLA
Head Coach Gary Adams
"I thought that the game could have been 1-0 the way the game started. We got some bleeders, they made a few errors, and after that we got going."
"We didn't look like we were good early in the game."
Leftfielder Bill Scott
"The closest we've seen to Matt Smith this year was Barry Zito (USC), so that's saying a lot."
"Our team is good at making adjustments. I knew we had to shorten our swings up and put the ball in play."
On his HR streak: "I hope I can keep it going. It's not a big deal. As long as we're winning, I'm happy."
Pitcher Josh Karp
"Early in the game my fastball was good. Later in the game my curveball helped me out well. I knew the game would be a pitcher's duel, so I really had to concentrate and focus."
"I didn't come out good, but I started to get loose in the middle innings. I was really happy with the run support and was these guys backed me up."
