University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
UC Santa Barbara
Five Bruins Homer As No. 3 Baseball Pummels UC Santa Barbara 17-4 In Season Home Opener
February 09, 2000 | Baseball
Feb. 9, 2000
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The UCLA baseball team put on quite an offensive show in its season home opener, as the Bruins knocked out nine extra base hits including five home runs to light up the scoreboard and UC Santa Barbara 17-4 Wednesday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
The Bruins' 17 runs are the most ever scored in a home opener at UCLA. The victory gives the Bruins a perfect 4-0 overall record and broke a two-game losing streak vs. the Gauchos. UCSB falls to 4-3 in 2000.
UCLA starter Bobby Roe (1-0) was on a pitch count and picked up the win after four innings, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out four. UCSB starter Bing Cain (2-1) suffered the loss, as he allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits in three innings.
Junior second baseman Chase Utley set the Bruins in motion, leading off the bottom of the first with a shot over the right center field fence, his second of the young season and extended his current hitting streak to 13 games. The Gauchos came back to post three runs in the second, as two singles and a walk loaded the bases for UCSB designated hitter Jon Stephens who promptly singled home two runs. Roe then struck out UCSB center fielder R.J. Smith, only to have right fielder Ryan Spilborghs follow with another RBI single to put the Gauchos ahead 3-1.
However, the Bruins drove Cain to the showers after the third inning with a run in the second and three in the third, on junior third baseman Garrett Atkins' two-run homer. But the explosion came in the bottom of the fourth. The Gauchos relieved Cain with Jim Bullard who proceeded to give up six runs on five hits, highlighted by a three-run home run by junior catcher Forrest Johnson.
Junior right-hander Tyler Dersom relieved Roe in the fourth and gave up UCSB's fourth and final run of the game in the fifth when Stephens singled home Tyler Von Schell, who had a hit and had advanced to second on a walk to Donovan Warrecker.
The Bruins ran away with the game in the sixth with the help of junior left-fielder Bill Scott's 12th home run in 13 games dating back to last season. Scott ended the night with three hits which tied a career-best 16-game hitting streak. Utley and Atkins each had RBI singles with the bases juiced to add to the UCLA hit parade in the sixth.
UCLA capped off the night with a pinch-hit home run in the eighth by redshirt freshman Rich Hofman, the first of his career. And as has been the case so far in 2000, the Bruin relievers shut down the opposition in stellar fashion. Junior Scott Arrasmith made his debut on the mound in a UCLA uniform and struck out three in the seventh, while juniors Paul Diaz and Chad Cislak kept the Gauchos hitless in the eighth and ninth innings.
On the night, Utley finished 3-5 with two runs and two RBI, while Atkins was a perfect 3-3 with four RBI and two runs scored. Scott was 3-5 including a home run and double, with three runs and three RBI. Johnson was 2-3 with two runs and three RBI, while junior center fielder Charles Merricks was 2-3 including a double, with two runs and two RBI. Junior right fielder Nick Lyon had a double in three at bats, while freshman Jim Hemming had his first collegiate hit pinch-hitting for designated hitter Adam Berry in the seventh.
The Bruins will take their four-game winning streak on the road to Las Vegas this weekend to face UNLV (2-3) Friday, Feb. 11 through Sunday, Feb. 13. Friday's game is set for 3:05 p.m. with junior Jon Brandt (1-0) on the mound for the Bruins against Ryan Olson (1-0) for the Runnin' Rebels. Saturday and Sunday's games, both at 1:05 p.m., will be broadcast on the internet at www.unlvrebels.com.
