University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Long Beach St
UCLA Baseball Blows Past Long Beach State 17-6
May 09, 2000 | Baseball
May 9, 2000
LOS ANGELES -- Junior second baseman Chase Utley had six hits, tying a Pac-10 and UCLA single-game record, and senior Aldo Pinto played all nine positions, including pitching the top of the ninth, as the UCLA baseball team defeated Long Beach State 17-6 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in a non-conference game Tuesday evening.
With the victory, the Bruins improve to 31-22 overall this season, while Long Beach State falls to 29-21. UCLA racked up 17 runs on 17 hits and scored in all but one inning of the game. Utley led UCLA's offensive charge, going 6-for-6, all hits being singles. Not only did Utley tie the Pac-10 and UCLA record for hits in a single game tonight, he has also hit eight straight singles dating back to Sunday's game vs. Cal and is just three hits short of tying the UCLA record for consecutive hits. He has also reached base in 14 straight plate appearances in the last three games.
Pinto also had a big day, going 2-for-5 with a two-run double and a sacrifice fly, as he played a different position each inning. Pinto started at third base and played every other position in the field, including finishing the game on the mound in the top of the ninth. He did not allow a hit and struck out one batter.
UCLA freshman left-hander Mike Kunes (3-2) earned the victory in relief, allowing five earned runs on five hits while striking out five through six innings. Kunes came in as relief for starter Nick Lyon, a Bruin outfielder who made his first collegiate start on the mound. Lyon did well, allowing one run on two hits and struck out four through the first two innings.
Kunes entered the game in the top of the third and retired the first 10 straight batters to face him until giving up a solo home run to 49er shortstop Bobby Crosby. Kunes then retired six of the next eight hitters before getting into trouble in the eighth as Long Beach State left-fielder Jeff Jones hit a grand slam.
But by that point, the game was out of reach for the 49ers. UCLA had as much as an 8-1 lead after three innings and a 12-2 lead after six innings. After Long Beach State cut the score to 12-7 after the four-run eighth, the Bruins answered with a big five in the bottom of the eighth, thanks to back-to-back home runs by junior left fielder Bill Scott and junior catcher Forrest Johnson.
UCLA junior first baseman Garrett Atkins went 2-for-5 with three RBI including a two-run double, while Scott went 3-for-5 with two singles and a three-run home run. Junior catcher Ryan Hamill had an RBI double, while junior shortstop Josh Canales was 2-for-2.
Long Beach State starter Chad Bentz (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on four hits through two innings. Jones led the 49ers with the bat, going 3-for-4 including a grand slam good for four RBI.
Next up for the Bruins is a three-game series with the Arizona Wildcats this weekend at Jackie Robinson Stadium to close out the regular season at home. The series begins Saturday, May 13 through Monday, May 15 with Saturday and Sunday start times scheduled for 1 p.m. and Monday's first pitch set for 6 p.m.
Long Beach State 010 001 040 6 7 3 UCLA 314 112 05x 17 17 2
WP - Mike Kunes (3-2). LP - Chad Bentz (0-2). Save - None.
2B - Jeremy Reed, Garrett Atkins, Aldo Pinto, Ryan Hamill.
HR - Bobby Crosby (9), Jeff Jones (5, Grand Slam), Bill Scott (21), Forrest Johnson (19).
SF - Aldo Pinto, Charles Merricks.
Start: 6:05 p.m., Time: 3:00, Attendance: 266
