University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Loyola Marymnt
Baseball Falls In Heartbreaker To LMU 5-4
February 15, 2000 | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2000
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, Loyola Marymount's Jason Aspito lined a bases clearing double into the gap in left center field, erasing a 4-2 UCLA lead and lifting the 16th-ranked Lions to a 5-4 upset over the No. 2 Bruin baseball team Tuesday afternoon at Page Stadium.
The loss drops UCLA to 6-2 overall, while Loyola Marymount improves its season record to 4-1. Brian Felton (2-0) picked up the victory for the Lions, while UCLA junior Chad Cislak (0-1) suffered the loss.
With Cislak on the mound in the bottom of the ninth, two errors, a wild pitch and a walk loaded the bases for Aspito who had been hitless in four at bats throughout the game. Aspito's double scored three runs, all unearned.
The Bruins looked to have the game in hand when in the top of the ninth inning, junior left-fielder Bill Scott hit a two-out bases loaded single to drive in two runs off Felton to give the Bruins a 4-2 advantage.
LMU reliever Ben Bonilla was on the mound to begin the ninth and gave up a one-out triple to freshman shortstop Warren Trott to spark the UCLA rally. Junior center fielder Matt Pearl followed with walk before junior second baseman Chase Utley struck out swinging. With two down, Felton was brought in to face junior third baseman Garrett Atkins and promptly threw a wild pitch, advancing the runners into scoring position. Atkins was then intentionally walked to load the bases for the Scott, the Bruins' cleanup hitter.
The Bruins jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on the first pitch thrown of the game by LMU starter Michael Schultz, when Utley hit his second lead-off home run of the season. UCLA took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when junior catcher Forrest Johnson singled in Scott who had doubled earlier in the inning. Schultz then went on to retire the next nine Bruin batters into the sixth inning.
LMU cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Lion catcher Scott Walter, an unearned run off Bruin starter Bobby Roe. Roe put in a solid effort, lasting 6.1 innings and allowing two runs, one earned, off six hits. He also struck out four and walked one.
The Lions knotted the game 2-2 in the seventh, when Roe was removed with the bases loaded for junior Scott Arrasmith who walked LMU cleanup hitter Tommy Perez to force in the tying run with one out. Junior Tyler Dersom then came in to get the second out by striking out first baseman Kris Zacuto. Cislak was then called in from the bullpen to face Aspito, this time getting the right fielder to ground into a force out at short to end the inning and get the Bruins out of the bases loaded jam.
UCLA will return to Westwood for a three-game weekend series with #20 North Carolina Friday, Feb. 18 through Sunday, Feb. 20. Friday's game is set to begin at 5 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday's games are slated to begin at 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday will be broadcast live on the internet at www.broadcast.com or www.uclabruins.com. Jeff Blank will call the play-by-play with Cassidy Olson doing the color commentary.
