UCLA
Nebraska
No. 5 UCLA Baseball Outlasts Nebraska, 1-0, in 11 Innings
March 04, 2011 | Baseball
March 4, 2011
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LINCOLN, Neb. - Right-hander Gerrit Cole struck out eight batters in nine scoreless innings, retiring the first 20 consecutive batters, to lead the No. 5 UCLA baseball team past Nebraska, 1-0, in 11 innings in a series-opening contest Friday afternoon at Haymarket Park.
Cole's bid for a perfect game was broken with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, on a ground ball hit into right field by Cody Asche that escaped a diving attempt by second baseman Tyler Rahmatulla. The right-hander from Santa Ana, Calif., made 101 pitches through nine frames.
UCLA (7-2) finished with one run and four hits, while Nebraska (6-4) managed just three hits in 11 innings. Cole and right-hander Nick Vander Tuig helped the Bruins secure their third shutout in nine games this season.
Vander Tuig (1-0) earned his first collegiate victory, tossing two scoreless frames. The freshman right-hander from Oakdale, Calif., allowed one hit, recording three strikeouts and two walks.
Playing in 30-degree weather with consistent 15-25 mph winds, the Bruins scored the game's lone run with two outs in the top of the 11th. After Rahmatulla reached with a one-out single to center, Beau Amaral launched a sharp grounder to first baseman Kurt Farmer. After Farmer stepped on the base for an unassisted putout, the first baseman's errant throw to second bounced into left field, allowing Rahmatulla to advance to third. Dean Espy followed with a hard one-hop infield single that ricocheted off right-handed pitcher Casey Hauptman's glove, allowing Rahmatulla to score.
Hauptman (1-1) was charged with the loss, allowing one unearned run and three hits in five innings of relief. He logged five strikeouts and no walks in relief of right-hander Jon Keller. In his third career start, Keller allowed one hit in six scoreless frames, tallying a season-high eight strikeouts while walking four batters.
UCLA's Cody Keefer went 2-for-4 as the only player in the game to record multiple hits. Espy and Rahmatulla each went 1-for-4, with Espy logging one RBI and Rahmatulla scoring one run.
The Bruins missed a prime opportunity to score in the top of the first inning, while Nebraska could not capitalize with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. With one out and the bases loaded in the first inning, Keefer grounded into an inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Huskers loaded the bases with a single through the left side and two ensuing intentional walks - one with one out to put runners at first and second base, and another free pass with two outs to load the bases. Cole struck out Josh Scheffert on a 1-and-2 count to end Nebraska's ninth-inning threat.
UCLA continues its three-game series at Nebraska on Saturday afternoon. Game time at Haymarket Park is slated for 12:05 p.m. (PT)/2:05 p.m. (CT). Fans can view live video of the final two games of the series online at huskers.com (subscription required).
Game Notes: Gerrit Cole tied his career high with nine innings pitched (also versus San Francisco, Feb. 18, 2011) ... with eight strikeouts in his third start of the season, Cole moved into sole possession of fourth place on UCLA's all-time strikeouts list (282) ... head coach John Savage recorded his 199th career victory at UCLA, standing one shy of the 200-win plateau as the Bruins' head coach ... UCLA has won five of its last six extra-inning ballgames (went 4-1 in 2010) ... the Bruins' pitching staff lowered its team ERA to a 1.41 mark and has limited the opposition to a .167 batting average in 83.0 innings.
