University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
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Cs-Northridge
No. 17 UCLA Baseball Drops Cal State Northridge 10-5
April 14, 2000 | Baseball
April 14, 2000
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The Bruins' three, four and five hitters combined for 12 hits and eight RBI, while sophomore right-hander Josh Karp allowed just two hits and two unearned runs through six innings to lift the UCLA baseball team over Cal State Northridge 10-5 at Jackie Robinson Stadium Friday evening.
The Bruins, winners of 17 of their last 20 games and the last four straight, improve their record to 24-13 overall and remain 7-2 in the Pac-10. CSUN falls to 13-24 overall this season.
Junior catcher Forrest Johnson paced UCLA with a 4-for-5 performance including a double, a home run, and four RBI. With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the third, Johnson's line drive single to the gap in left center drove in junior left fielder Bill Scott to give the Bruins a 4-3 lead they would never relinquish.
Scott also put up some big numbers, going 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI, while junior first baseman Garrett Atkins ended the night 3-for-4 including a double and a game-tying home run to go along with two RBI.
Karp (5-1) made the start on the hill for UCLA and picked up his second straight victory in as many starts, allowing just two hits and two unearned runs through six innings, while striking out six. CSUN starter Andy Davidson suffered the loss, going five and allowing six runs on 10 hits.
UCLA scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first, and the Matadors took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third on two unearned runs as well, on two errors by sophomore third baseman Randall Shelley. The Bruins answered with two of their in the bottom of the third, thanks to Atkins' 12th home run of the season to knot the game at three. Scott followed with a double down the left field line and later scored on Johnson's single.
UCLA added three more runs in the fifth as junior second baseman Chase Utley led off with a double and later scored on a single by Atkins. On the same play, Atkins advanced to third on an error by CSUN left fielder Jason Watkins and scored on a ground out to second by Scott. Johnson followed with his team-leading 15th home run, giving UCLA a comfortable 6-2 lead.
The Matadors threatened in the seventh, scoring yet their third unearned run of the game, this time off Bruin redshirt freshman reliever Kevin Jerkens coming on Shelley's third error. With two runners on and no outs, Jerkens struck out CSUN third baseman Jason Gorman.
UCLA then went to the bullpen ace as of late junior left-hander Ryan Carter, who struck out the next two batters halting a possible Matador rally. Carter earned his third save of the season.
After scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh, the Bruins added three more runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Johnson and Scott. Junior designated hitter Nick Lyon had his career-high 12-game hitting streak snapped, going 0-for-4. Utley and Shelley also had two hits, including a double each.
CSUN's Tim Coltey paced the Matadors, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while late inning Brandon Thompson hit his first home run of the season in the top of the ninth.
The three-game weekend series continues tomorrow but changes venues, as these two teams will face off at Cal State Northridge Saturday at 1 p.m. Sunday, the teams return to Jackie Robinson Stadium in Westwood for another 1 p.m. game.
Cal State Fullerton 002 000 111 5 7 2 UCLA Bruins 102 030 13x 10 16 3WP - Josh Karp (5-1). LP - Andy Davidson (3-4). Save - Ryan Carter (3) 2B - Chase Utley, Garrett Atkins, Bill Scott, Forrest Johnson, Randall Shelley HR - Brandon Thompson (1), Garrett Atkins (12), Forrest Johnson (15). SB - Bill Murphy, J.T. Stotts. CS - Bill Murphy. SH - Jason Allec Start: 6:05 p.m. Time: 2:51 Attendance: 389
