Feb. 4, 2000
Honolulu, Hawai'i - The UCLA baseball squad exploded for seven runs on seven hits in the first inning and junior Eric Reece hit for the cycle as the Bruins crushed Hawaii 15-3 in their season opener at Rainbow Stadium in Honolulu Thursday night.
UCLA (1-0) brought 12 men to the plate in the top of the first, and posted a seven run lead even before the seats were warm. Hawaii starter Randon Ho (1-2) lasted only two thirds of an inning and suffered the loss for the Rainbows, dropping them to 2-5 on the season. Freshman pitcher Mike Kunes (1-0)picked up the win in his debut as a Bruin, relieving starter Ryan Carter who went out with an injury in the fourth inning.
Junior Bill Scott also homered for the Bruins in the fourth inning, extending his game-day home run streak to nine. Scott has slugged 10 home runs in nine consecutive game-days beginning May 5 last season. He also extended his hitting streak (which began last season as well) to 13 games.
Chase Utley drove the first pitch of the game into center field for one of his two first inning base hits, and Garrett Atkins followed with a double. Scott's sacrifice fly to deep center drove in Utley from third, before Reece sparked the Bruin scoring barrage in the first with a triple. Reece, who went 4-5 with three runs and three RBI, is the first Bruin to hit for the cycle since Eric Valent in 1998. Utley and Atkins also extended hitting streaks from last season, 10 and 13 games respectively.
The Rainbows scored one run on two hits off Carter in the bottom of the first, only to have Reece answer back in the second with a solo shot.
Atkins also swung a hot bat for the Bruins, going 4-5 with two runs and an RBI. Utley went 2-5 with three RBI and Scott was 2-4 with two runs and three runs batted in. Junior catcher Forrest Johnson also went 2-4 with two runs and a triple.
UCLA left-handed starter Carter pitched three and a third innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits before colliding with Reece on a play at first base injuring his right shoulder. Kunes came out of the bullpen and allowed just one hit while striking out five in five and two thirds innings of work.
The Bruins snapped a six-game losing streak against Hawaii and improved their opening day record to 18-8 under head coach Gary Adams. UCLA and Hawaii continue the three-game series tomorrow, Feb. 4 at 8:35 p.m. pacific time. The Bruins will look to make it two straight over the Rainbows, a game broadcast live on the internet at www.broadcast.com. UCLA junior Jon Brandt and Hawaii's Rich Snider are the probable starters.
UCLA 721 300 002 - 15 18 0
Hawaii 110 100 000 - 3 8 1
WP - Kunes (1-0), LP - Ho (1-2), Save - None.
HR - Scott, Reece. 2B - Atkins, Scott, Reece, Hamill, Bock. 3B - Reece, Johnson.
Time: 2:51 Attendance: 2145