University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Pepperdine
Baseball Snaps Four-Game Losing Skid, Drops Pepperdine 11-7
February 22, 2000 | Baseball
Feb. 22, 2000
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The eighth-ranked UCLA baseball team snapped its four-game losing skid by defeating Pepperdine 11-7 at Jackie Robinson Stadium Tuesday afternoon. Freshman right-hander Kevin Jerkens picked up his first collegiate win, while Chase Utley, Bill Scott and Forrest Johnson slugged home runs to power the Bruins.
With the victory, UCLA improves its record to 7-5, while Pepperdine remains winless on the road and drops to 5-7 on the young season. Waves freshman Greg Ramirez suffered the loss (0-2).
Pepperdine jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning off freshman left-hander Mike Kunes, making his first collegiate start on the mound. Kunes struggled, allowing two singles, two doubles and a three-run homer to Waves catcher Dane Sardinha in the lead-off frame, in addition to one walk and one hit batter.
The Bruins scored one run in the bottom of the first, but Kunes allowed one run in the second inning before UCLA brought Jerkens in from the bullpen. Jerkens (1-0) came in to pitch 3.2 innings without allowing a hit or a run to pick up his first collegiate victory.
UCLA scored at least one run in every inning but the eighth and each Bruin in the starting lineup recorded a hit as UCLA bounced back from the four-run deficit. With Ramirez on the mound in the fourth inning in relief of starter Eric Valenzuela, UCLA first baseman Eric Reece hit an RBI single to tie the score 5-5 and then Johnson followed with a three-run homer to give UCLA a lead it would not relinquish.
The Bruins scored another run in the fifth on doubles by freshman Warren Trott and Utley, while Bill Scott's sixth home run of the season added another in the sixth. The top of the seventh saw the Waves score two unearned runs off Bruin left-hander Ryan Carter to cut the UCLA lead to 10-7. But the Bruins added an insurance run in the eighth when third baseman Garrett Atkins hit a sacrifice fly to center driving in center fielder Charles Merricks.
Utley, who also hit a two-run homer in the second inning, was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. The second baseman was 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI, while Johnson was 2-for-5 with one run scored. The junior catcher also tied a career-high with four RBI. Scott was 1-for-2 with three runs scored, three walks and an RBI.
Unlike the past few games, the Bruin bullpen shut the opposition down. Jerkens, Carter, and right-handers Jon Brandt and Chad Cislak did not allow a hit through 7.2 innings. Two walks and two errors accounted for the two unearned runs given up by Carter.
Dane Sardinha led the Waves with the bat, going 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI including the home run and a double.
This weekend the Bruins will travel across town to clash with their arch-nemesis, the USC Trojans, Friday, Feb. 25-Sunday, Feb. 27 at Dedeaux Field. Friday's game is set for 5 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday begin at 1 p.m.
