University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Cal Fullerton
Bruins Fall At Home To Cal State Fullerton, 8-3
April 25, 2000 | Baseball
April 25, 2000
LOS ANGELES
- Junior 2B Chase Utley hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth enabling UCLA to avoid being shut out at home for the first time since 1995. Other than Utley's team-high 17th roundtripper, it was all Cal State Fullerton as the 21st-ranked Titans (25-14, 13-5 Big West) defeated the 28th-ranked Bruins, 8-3 before 341 at Jackie Robinson Stadium Tuesday evening. The loss was the seventh in the last eight games for UCLA as the Titans defeated UCLA (25-20, 8-4 Pac-10) for the sixth straight time and swept the season series, 2-0.The Bruins had several chances in the early-going to provide freshman LHP starter Mike Kunes with some run support, but came up empty each time. UCLA stranded 10 baserunners through the first five innings, and 13 in all. Meanwhile, the Titans left just four on base for the entire game. UCLA kept pace with Fullerton in the hits column, as the Bruins recorded at least one hit in each of the first five innings but failed to score anyone. Kunes (2-2) left the game after facing two batters in the sixth and giving up five runs (four earned) to the visitors. Junior RHP Ronnie Corona (2-3) was credited with the victory after shutting out UCLA over the first two innings.
The Titans got on the board with two in the first, but were then cooled off by Kunes as the southpaw retired six in a row to shut out Fullerton in the second and third frames. However, the Titans tacked on one in the fifth courtesy of back-to-back doubles by 2B David Bacani and LF Robert Guzman. They then added three more in the sixth, highlighted by a lead-off homer by 1B Jake Epstein off Kunes. Meanwhile, despite racking up seven hits, the Bruins had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard after five innings. Fullerton would add runs in the eighth and ninth to cap off their victory.
Juniors SS Josh Canales and RF Matt Pearl set the stage for Utley's home run with a single and a walk, respectively. However, after the Long Beach, CA native went deep, the Titans retired three of the next five Bruins to halt any ideas of a comeback. Junior C Forrest Johnson smacked a single to and redshirt freshman DH Jim Hemming drew a walk before Titan closer Kirk Saarloos retired junior CF Charles Merricks to secure the victory.
Next up for UCLA is its first-ever trip to Pullman, WA to take on the Washington State Cougars (16-26, 4-11 Pac-10) in a Pac-10 series April 28-30.
