University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA Official Athletic Site - Baseball
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Bruins Defeat #2 Rice in Houston; Prepare for San Diego Baseball Classic
HOUSTON, Texas - On February 12, 1999, sophomore right-hander Jon Brandt made UCLA baseball history by striking out a school-record 17 batters. In the first game of the Big Ball Sports Tournament, Brandt struck out the side three times, including six batters in a row, in seven innings against the McNeese St. Cowboys. Brandt recorded 17 of 21 outs via strikeout, and sat down 63% of batters faced on strikes (17 of 27). He struck out at least one hitter in each inning and two in every frame except the seventh. Brandt implemented a consistent 90mph fastball and a wicked, tailing curveball to shut down the Cowboys and shatter the previous UCLA single-game strikeout record of 14 set by Tom Jacquez in February of 1997. Brandt also shattered his personal high of seven set nearly one year ago versus Stanford.
Sophomore cf Matt Pearl hit his first collegiate homerun off Cowboy starter Graham Mazur in the seventh to pull the Bruins to within one, but the Cowboys would score five in the next two innings to hold off the Bruins and spoil Brandt's record-breaking afternoon. The Bruins fell to the Cowboys, 8-5, and Brandt was handed the loss, making him 2-1 on the year. In 25.1 innings, Jon has a team-high 34 strikeouts, including 23 in his last 13 innings.
The Bruins bounced back from the disappointing loss to McNeese St. to rout the #2 Rice Owls on their home field, 14-6. UCLA didn't waste any time kicking the host Owls out of the game, scoring five runs in the first inning and six in the second to take an insurmountable 11-0 lead. Sophomore left-hander Bobby Roe shut down any hopes of an Owl comeback in pitching 7.1 innings and allowing only 2 earned runs against one of the most high-powered offenses in the nation. Roe is a Plano, TX native. Sophomore left-fielder and 1998 Freshman-All American Honorable Mention Bill Scott led the offensive charge with six RBI on the afternoon. He was 2-for-3 with a three-run homer, a double, and a sacrifice fly in tripling his previous RBI-high of two established three times in '98. Richardson, TX native Adam Berry added a solo shot in the first inning, his team-leading fourth of the year. UCLA and, ironically, McNeese St. are the only two teams to beat Rice this season.
In the final game of the Big Ball Sports Tournament, the Bruins fell to the Northwestern State Demons, 5-4 despite 3.2 shutout innings thrown by freshman right-hander Josh Karp. In only his third collegiate appearance, Karp allowed no runs, no walks, and struck out four batters in his time on the mound.
Down 5-2 in the eighth inning, the Bruins scored two with RBI singles from sophomore dh Forrest Johnson and senior c Jason Green that knocked home sophomore 2b Chase Utley and 1b Garrett Atkins who had reached on consecutive walks. With two down and the tying run on third (Johnson), rf Nick Lyon stepped to the plate. He belted the first pitch deep to rightfield but was robbed by rf Ronnie Quintana, who made a leaping, overhead catch to end the inning. Johnson, in his first start since January 24 at Hawaii, was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI single.
The Bruins finished in a tie for third with a 1-2 mark in the tournament. On the season, UCLA is 6-7.
Series Preview:
Tournament Preview: On Saturday, Feb. 20, the Bruins will attack the #22 Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-2) at 10am. Texas Tech is coming off a highly competitive three-game series at USC in which all three games were decided by two runs or less. Tech won one out of three on a ninth inning homerun by junior 1b Mark Austry in the first contest. The losses to USC were Texas Tech's first two of the season. Starters have yet to be named for either squad. However, sophomore southpaw Ryan Carter (0-2, 5.40) is the strongest Bruin candidate for the job. The two schools have never met on the baseball diamond.
On Sunday, Feb. 21, the Bruins will take on the host San Diego State Aztecs (6-4) at 3pm. The Aztecs are coming off a non-conference split with Tulane, winning the first one 4-2 and losing the second one by the same score. The Aztecs are led by senior of Ryan Hurd, a transfer from CSUN, and junior of Paul Lockhart. In ten games, Hurd is batting .340 with 3 HR and 11 RBI. Lockhart is batting .385 with 2 HR and 8 RBI in ten contests. Under Gary Adams, the Bruins are 23-17 all-time versus the Aztecs. Freshman right-hander Josh Karp is a strong starting candidate for the Bruins on Sunday.
Other schools participating in the tournament are Arizona (13-1), Oklahoma State ( 3-0), Oregon State (5-3), and San Diego (5-2).
Bruins Come Roaring Back To Take Two Out of Three From the Yellow Jackets Following a home opening loss to Pepperdine and a 13-8 defeat in game one of the Georgia Tech series, UCLA put together consecutive victories indicative of the team's talent, determination, experience, and hustle. Starting sophomore leftfielder Bill Scott puts it best: "We're starting to come together. Everything's hitting on all cylinders." Scott powered the Bruins past the Jackets in game three with a monstrous 450-foot shot to left, his first on the year. Also hitting the long ball were redshirt freshman c/dh Adam Berry and sophomore 2b Chase Utley. Berry slammed two against the Yellow Jackets in the second game, bringing his season total to three. Utley launched homers in the second and third games to help carry UCLA to victory. Berry hit his first collegiate homerun in game one of Georgia Tech series. The blast off 1998 All-American ace Chuck Crowder propelled UCLA to a six-run seventh-inning outburst. In three games versus Tech, the Bruins scored sixteen runs in the seventh inning.
Sophomore right-hander Jon Brandt (2-0, 2.95) and junior right-hander Dan Keller combined to toss a six-hitter at the Jackets in the series finale. In his two victories, Brandt has an ERA of 1.44 with thirteen strikeouts in thirteen innings. Keller and Brandt were aided by a defense that posted it's second consecutive errorless game. The Bruins only committed two errors in the series against the Yellow Jackets. To date, Brandt has shut-out opponents in 17 of his 18.1 innings pitched, including 12.1 consecutive scoreless innings to begin the year.
1998 Freshman All-American Bobby Roe put together a brilliant outing in relief of freshman sensation Josh Karp in game two of the Georgia Tech series. In four innings of work, the sophomore left-hander only faced fourteen batters, allowing only a 9th-inning infield single and two walks. Only striking out one, Roe didn't overpower the Yellow Jackets, pitching not for strikeouts but for groundouts and pop-ups. Give the Bruin defense a major assist as it put together it's first errorless game of the season, allowing Roe's style to work perfectly. In Tech's half of the seventh, Roe threw only seven pitches in a 1-2-3 inning, getting all batters to ground-out to senior ss Jack Santora. Roe earned a well-deserved save for his work, his first on the year. Roe's success lowered UCLA's bullpen ERA to a solid 3.48 on the year. Minus game one versus GT, and the UCLA bullpen has an ERA of 1.34 for the season. The Bruins pitched two freshmen in relief of starter Ryan Carter. Thrown into the fire, Brian Strelitz and Kurt Birkins gave up their first collegiate runs in three innings of work. Prior to that game, the two freshmen were excellent in shutting out opponents over 9.2 innings.
Senior Catcher Jason Green Honored as GTE Student-Athlete of the Week
Head Coach Gary Adams Attains Another Coaching Milestone Thirty-two of Adams' former players at UCLA have reached the major leagues. Two former Bruins have made their major league debut in each of the past three seasons. In 1998, Troy Glaus and Jim Parque, who were teammates on UCLA's 1997 College World Series, reached the majors. Adams was the head coach at UC Irvine for five years before coming to UCLA and guided the Anteaters to back-to-back NCAA Division II national championships in 1973 and 1974. In 1974, Adams was named as the Division II Coach of the Year. Adams' career record is 990-719-12 (.580). He played second base for the Bruins in 1959, 1960 and 1962. As a senior, he was selected as team captain and MVP.
Adams'Overall Year-by-Year Record
UC Irvine Totals (Five years): 188-69-5 (.732)
UCLA Totals (25 years): 802-650-7 (.553)
Career Totals (30 years): 990-719-12 (.580)
* NCAA Division II National Champions
** Pac-10 Conference Champions Pac-8. - CIBA
UCLA clashes with host Rice University in game two of the Bruins' three-game tournament road trip. In a game that will have post-season implications for both teams, fans in Texas have been counting down to this inter-conference showdown for months. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Rice (6-1) is coming off it's first loss of the season, a 12-4 defeat at the hands of tourney participant McNeese St.
Leading the Owls is 1998 First-team All-American Damon Thames. Also the Western Athletic Conference's Player of the Year, Thames hit .424 with 26 homers and 115 RBI last season. This season, the senior ss is hitting .577 with 5 doubles, one homerun, nine RBI, and to top it off, a .962 slugging percentage through seven contests. Last week, his 29-game hitting streak was snapped against the University of Texas-- San Antonio. Right behind Thames are JC transfers Brett Smith and Mitch Ackal. Smith is hitting .450 with one homer, 8 RBI, and a .800 slugging percentage at second base. Ackal, an outfielder, is hitting .421 with one homerun, 5 RBI, and a .737 slugging percentage. UCLA will look forward to meeting up with former Bruin John Lukin. A catcher, Lukin is batting .250 with 2 RBI thus far for the Owls. Collectively, the Owls are hitting .339 on the season.
The Owls' pitching staff is just as impressive, if not more so. The ace of the staff is junior left-hander Mario Ramos. In two starts, Ramos has pitched 12 innings and allowed just one run off nine hits. His ERA stands at 0.75. Jesse Kurtz-Nicholl, a senior out of University HS in Los Angeles, is the fireman on the team, striking out 14 in 7.1 innings to go along with an ERA of 1.23. Overall, the Rice staff has an ERA of 3.10 in 61 innings.
The tournament is a homecoming for sophomore pitcher Bobby Roe and redshirt freshman Adam Berry. Roe grew up in Plano, TX and attended Plano HS, while Berry grew up in Richardson, TX and attended J.J. Pearce HS.
Feb. 12@ 11am PST-- #18 Bruins vs. McNeese St (1-1)
McNeese St. won at Rice's Cameron Field, 12-4.
#18 Bruins at UCSB (2-4), Feb. 9 @ 2pm-- POSTPONED
After San Diego, the Bruins travel to Houston to participate in the Big Ball Sports Tournament hosted by Rice University. On Saturday Feb. 13 at 11:00am PST, UCLA will battle the #2 Rice Owls (6-1) for the first time ever. UCLA freshman right-hander Josh Karp (1-1, 8.00) will start against either junior lefty Mario Ramos (2-0, 0.75) or junior right-hander Jeff Nichols (2-0, 3.29) . On Feb. 12 at 11:00am PST, UCLA will take on the McNeese State Cowboys for the first time in school history. UCLA plans throw sophomore right-hander Jon Brandt (2-0, 2.95), while the Cowboys will counter with either senior lefty Graham Mazur (0-1, 13.50) or senior southpaw Kevin Sprague (1-0, 5.14). McNeese St. (1-1), located in Lake Charles, LA, is the only club to defeat Rice this season, putting together a 12-4 win on Feb. 7. Finally, the Bruins will face off against the Northwestern State Demons (4-0) on Feb. 14 at 10:00am PST. Carter is expected to start against either senior LHP Matt Stovall (1-0, 1.50) or senior RHP David Balcer (1-0, 0.00). Northwestern St., located in Natchitoches, LA, has never played the Bruins.
Series Preview:
Probable Pitching Match-up:
The contest's first six innings was a pitcher's duel between Brandt (2-0) and sophomore lefty Simon Young (1-1). The Bruins used single-run innings in the fourth, fifth, and sixth to pull ahead for good, 3-1. The solo shot by 2b Utley and the two-run homer by lf Scott ended the scoring, putting the Bruins out of reach. Dan Keller, making only his second appearance and first in relief since the NCAA Tournament in May of '97, shut down any hopes of a Georgia Tech comeback in allowing just three hits and no walks over three innings of work. Keller earned his second collegiate save and the first since his freshman year of 1996. The UCLA defense put together it's second consecutive error-free game with solid defensive performances by senior ss Jack Santora, sophomore 1b Garrett Atkins, sophomore cf Matt Pearl, and Utley. In the fifth inning, Brandt escaped from a bases-loaded, one-out jam by forcing Tech's clean-up hitter, c Eric McQueen, to hit into a 6-4-3 double play executed flawlessly by Santora, Utley, and Atkins. Overall, the Yellow Jackets left ten men on base, including four at third base.
Next up for the Bruins is a date with the UCSB Gauchos in Santa Barbara on February 9 at 2pm. Sophomore left-hander Ryan Carter (0-1, 4.15) will climb the hill against a Gaucho to be named. It is the first of a two-game series that concludes on Feb. 16 at 2pm in Santa Barbara. Georgia Tech, meanwhile, returns home to play the Georgia Southern Eagles Feb. 13-14.
Bruins Lose First Shootout of the Year as Georgia Tech Notches a 13-8 Victory
Prior to this game, the Bruin pitching staff was un-homered upon thus far in '99. Tech changed that by launching three into the parking lot beyond the fences at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Senior Eric McQueen hit a three-run shot off Bruin starter Ryan Carter in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie. The homer ended a 57 inning homerless streak posted by the Bruin pitching staff since the start of the season. Freshman Mark Teixeira added another three-run shot off fellow freshman Kurt Birkins to cap off a seven-run eighth inning that put the Yellow Jackets up for good. The shot came on Birkins' first pitch in relief of another freshman, Brian Strelitz. Sophomore Bryan Prince provided an insurance run for the Jackets with a solo shot to deep-center off Birkins in the ninth. UCLA hit it's first homerun of the season as redshirt freshman Adam Berry took Crowder deep to left-center for a solo shot in the seventh inning. Berry's first collegiate homerun would ignite a rally that scored six runs for UCLA, turning a three-run disadvantage into a three-run advantage. The barrage was comprised of six hits, including three doubles and Berry's homer, and three walks. At one point three out of four Bruins doubled, including freshman Randall Shelley who earned his first collegiate extra-base hit.
One of the themes before the start of this three game series was how surprising the UCLA bullpen has been and how disappointing the Georgia Tech bullpen has been this season. Today, both staffs were in for trips in the opposite direction. Before the "Tech Nine" onslaught, the Bruin bullpen posted a parsimonious 1.59 ERA in 22.2 innings of work. The Yellow Jacket bullpen, on the other hand, was generous, giving up 19 runs in 12.1 innings for an ERA of 14.13. It was a dark Friday for previously unscored-upon freshman relievers Strelitz and Birkins. Both gave up their first collegiate runs as Strelitz (0-1) was held accountable for six runs off seven hits in only 1.1 innings and Birkins was taken deep twice, responsible for two earned runs off three hits including two homers, in 1.2 innings to end the game. Georgia Tech's offensive raised the UCLA bullpen ERA from an extra-terrestrial 1.59 to a more terrestrial 4.21. Parrott's shutout performance in relief of Crowder lowered it's bullpen ERA to an improving 11.15.
UCLA Head Coach Gary Adams lost his second straight bid for 800 victories in 24 seasons managing the Bruins. His record stands at 799-648-7. Under Adams, the last time UCLA lost it's first two home games of the season was in 1996 at the hands of CS Northridge and UNLV. Tomorrow's game is scheduled for a 1pm start with sophomore LHP Cory Vance (0-1, 0.00) on the mound for the Jackets versus former high school phenom and current Bruin freshman Josh Karp (0-1, 11.25).
Pepperdine Spoils UCLA's Home Opener and Gary Adams' Bid For 800, 8-6
Sophomore second-baseman Chase Utley led off the inning with a double to the center-field wall. Freshman All-American and sophomore first baseman Garrett Atkins followed by reaching on an error by Wave shortstop Tony Garcia. Finally, sophomore Bill Scott grounded out to shortstop, advancing Utley. Jay Gehrke, a 6'6" 225-lb. junior transfer from Arizona State recorded his second save of the season for the Waves.
The loss kept UCLA Head Coach Gary Adams one victory away from 800 in his career as Bruins skipper.
Freshman Stephen Correa made his collegiate debut for the Waves, but lasted only .2 innings, giving up four unearned runs on one hit. His main problem was control, as he walked four Bruins and allowed three consecutive batters to reach base on two walks and one single. Sophomore Jon Brandt didn't fair much better for UCLA, however. He was knocked out after pitching 2.1 innings, his shortest outing of this young season. Brandt had pitched 12.1 consecutive scoreless innings to begin the season, but had control problems in the third inning of this game, walking two and hitting one batter in succession. Pepperdine hitters were tough on Bruin pitching, as many of them reached full counts before putting the ball in play.
Sophomore Jay Adams made his season debut for the Waves, in relief of the wild Correa. After allowing three hits total in the first and second innings, Adams settled down, at one point retiring nine consecutive Bruins. Bobby Roe came on relief of Jon Brandt in the third inning, pitching solidly, but received the loss, his second of the season. Roe allowed two earned runs in five innings, slightly raising the stingy UCLA bullpen's ERA from 1.13 to 1.59.
The two clubs were back to playing with aluminum after opening the season with wood bats. The switch especially helped the UCLA offense, which had slumped in Hawaii, only scoring 15 runs in 5 games. The eight-hit total tied for second-highest of the season, while the six runs was it's second-highest of the year. Meanwhile, Pepperdine scored it's second-highest run total of the season. First baseman Jared Pitney and No. 9 batter Tony Garcia, led the Waves attack, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored, respectively.
Next up for the Waves is a three-game set with the California Bears in Berkeley commencing on Friday, February 5.
UCLA Takes Doubleheader From Hawaii-Hilo, 7-2 and 5-0; Head Coach Gary Adams One Win Away From 800 at UCLA
Sophomore righthander Jon Brandt started the second game, a regular nine-inning contest, for the Bruins. He pitched brilliantly, going seven innings and allowing only one hit in a shutout performance. The effort kept his ERA at a perfect 0.00 in ten innings for the season. Sophomore lefthander Ryan Carter completed the shutout, pitching the final two innings, allowing one hit and recording five out of six outs via strikeout. The effort lowered his ERA to 2.57 in nine innings of work and raised his "K" level to 12 for the season.
The work of Strelitz and Carter lowered the bullpen ERA to a stingy 1.13 for the season.
The wins over Hilo leave Head Coach Gary Adams one shy of 800 for his career at UCLA. In 24 years at UCLA, Adams has compiled 799-648-7 (.552) record.
Bruins Set Several Dubious Marks in Getting Swept by Hawaii for the Second Year in a Row, 3-0, 6-0, and 5-3
Head Coach Gary Adams started a lefthander on opening day for the fifth straight year as 6'7" sophomore Ryan Carter took the mound at Rainbow Stadium. Carter faced fellow lefthander and Rainbow ace Jamie Aloy, who stifled hitters with a seven inning five hit performance. The shutout of UCLA was Hawaii's first since 1978, in game three of the forty game Hawaii-UCLA series (UH leads 25-18). The last time UCLA was shutout by a nonconference opponent was in 1987 against Cal State Fullerton, a span of 665 games. The last time they were shutout by anyone was in 1996 at the hands of the Stanford Cardinal, a span of 140 contests.
In the second game, Sophomore lefthander Bobby Roe, a 1998 Freshman All-American as the Bruins closer, made his first collegiate start against Rainbow lefthander Randon Ho. Roe gave up three earned runs in five innings, getting the loss. Ho was even more impressive than Aloy, pitching seven shutout innings and allowing only two hits to a baffled UCLA lineup. Chad Cislak, a sophomore, came on in relief of Roe in the 6th inning, pitching the final three innings. He allowed the only two runs the bullpen would give up in Hawaii in a rocky sixth inning, but settled down to pitch scoreless seventh and eighth innings.
The Bruins finally got on the board in the last game of the series, knocking out Hawaii's Troy Yoshimasu in three innings, scoring three off four hits. High school phenom Josh Karp made his much-anticipated collegiate debut, allowing five earned runs in four innings. However, if it wasn't for a collision between centerfielder Nick Lyon and rightfielder Forrest Johnson on a fly ball to the gap, Karp's earned run total for the day might have only been three. The collision allowed two runs to score, as it took Johnson several seconds to gather himself and retrieve the ball in order to make a throw to the infield.
The collision knocked both players out of this game and the series against Hawaii-Hilo. Karp, an eighth round selection of the Atlanta Braves last year turned down a reported $2 million-dollar signing bonus to receive an education and play for Coach Gary Adams at UCLA. Karp was replaced by freshman Kurt Birkins, also making his collegiate debut. He pitched brilliantly, scattering three hits over four innings in shutting down the Hawaii attack. He was aided by the arm of sophomore leftfielder Bill Scott, a 1998 Freshman All-American Honorable Mention, who threw a bullet from deep left-center to gun down a Rainbow at the plate.
Bruin Lineup For The Week of Feb. 8 Through Feb. 14(Tentative)
NOTE: DH duties not set at this time
UCLA Hoping For Second Trip to Omaha In Last Three Years But now those inexperienced freshmen are experienced sophomores and are ready to take UCLA back to Omaha. It will not be easy though. Once again, UCLA will be faced with one of the most challenging schedules in the
country. UCLA plays 31 games against teams ranked in Collegiate Baseball's
Preseason Fab 40 poll. UCLA plays four of the top five ranked teams in the poll for a total of 12 games and eight of the top 18 ranked teams for a total
of 20 games.
The Pacific-10 Conference takes on a new look this year with the
Southern and Northern Divisions merging to create one, nine-team league. Each team will play three games against each of the other eight teams for
a total of 24 games. UCLA has added series with California and USC, and those games will not count as league games.
"I have never experienced playing or coaching with the Northern schools involved as they are now. Every game will be so important. Before, if you got swept by a team, you had the
chance to sweep that same team later on in the season, but now you are sitting in the hole if you are swept by a team. The former Six-Pac teams cannot take the Northern teams lightly. We all know how good Washington is. Oregon State showed us what they can do when they swept us last season. And Washington State has a fine baseball program," said head coach Gary Adams.
The change in the formation of the Pac-10 is not the only change this
season. The postseason will take on a new look. Instead of there being eight, six-team regionals with the winner of each regional advancing to the
College World Series, there will be 16, four-team regionals with the winners
advancing to a Super Regional. The Super Regionals will consist of eight, three-game series with the winner of each series advancing to the College World Series.
"I like the new playoff format. I am glad to see the number of teams in the playoffs increase from 48 to 64 because it gives more teams a chance. This new system is more realistic than the old one. Before with six
teams at each regional, it would often come down to who had the best fifth
starting pitcher. Teams would have to go deep into their pitching staffs and use guys they may not have used much, if at all, during the season. But now
with just four teams involved, teams can play the same kind of baseball that
earned them the playoff berth. It is better for college baseball," said Adams.
This year's Bruin squad consists of a high-powered offense, a very young
but talented pitching staff led by the "Fab Five" and a defense that should be much improved from a year ago.
The biggest strength on this year's team is depth. "I have never had a
team this deep. Our lineup will probably have a different look throughout the season. We have so many options and this will greatly help our team
in the late innings because we can bring in a defensive replacement or put up a quality righthanded or lefthanded pinch hitter. There will be some very good players not starting on a regular basis, but they will play an extremely
important role and will be counted on," said Adams.
In 1998, UCLA averaged 7.92 runs per game. The 1999 squad should eclipse that number. Hitting coach Vince Beringhele said, "We have a lot of power on our team. We will be the big inning type of team. We are working on the skills portion of the game, focusing on bunting and executing the hit and run. The hitters have worked extremely hard and it is going to be difficult to keep some of them out of the lineup."
Highlighting this explosive offense are sophomore first baseman Garrett Atkins, a 1998 All-American; and sophomore second baseman Chase Utley, a 1998 Freshman All-American. Atkins batted .383 last season, the highest mark ever by a UCLA freshman and set a school record with a 33-game hitting streak. Utley batted .320 and set a school freshman record with 15 home runs.
Atkins and Utley are the top two returning home run hitters on the team, but it was sophomore left fielder Bill Scott who led the team in home runs in the fall. Scott earned Freshman All-American honorable mention accolades in 1998 when he batted .324 with four home runs in limited action. He went on to help lead the Santa Barbara Foresters to a 42-8 summer record. This season, he is ready to add himself to the long list of great UCLA home run hitters.
Not too many teams have three hitters with the kind of power Atkins,
Utley and Scott have. But UCLA's power does not stop with these three guys. Sophomore right fielder Forrest Johnson batted .326 and slugged five home runs last season in 46 at bats. Then he batted .336 over the summer, the sixth highest mark in the New England Summer Collegiate League.
Then there is sophomore center fielder Nick Lyon, a legitimate five-tool player who is probably the best athlete on the team. He batted .313 with two home runs and five stolen bases last season in limited action. He hit a monstrous pinch-hit game-winning home run in the 10th inning at California.. The former highly recruited high school quarterback is an extremely exciting outfielder to watch as he has a major league arm and very good speed.
There is still more power. Freshman third baseman Randall Shelley, a 22nd round draft choice of the Texas Rangers, can hit the long ball. He uses the entire field.
Redshirt freshman Adam Berry is another hitter who possesses tremendous power. Berry has the potential to become a major college home run hitter. He is a catcher and with senior Jason Green returning, there is no opening behind the plate. Berry is battling several other hitters for playing time in the DH spot. There is no question that Berry has more power than the other candidates. But he is not as experienced as the other candidates and will have to make the adjustment to college pitching.
Despite all these major power hitters, the leaders of the team will be Green and senior shortstop Jack Santora. Green can hit the long ball but excels at making contact and hitting line drives. He struck out just 11 times in 144 at bats last season while drawing 25 walks. He batted an eye-catching .400 in league play last season. Santora is perhaps the top switch-hitting infielder in the nation. He is a strong leadoff candidate who is expected to set the table for the big power hitters. He had a spectacular summer with the Hyannis Mets and was selected to the western squad for the Cape Cod League All-Star Game.
Competing with Berry for the highly contested DH spot are several talented hitters. From the left side of the plate, there is the speedy Michael Hymes, a junior outfielder who batted .301 last season; first baseman Eric
Reece, a solid contact hitter who batted .362 in the Northwoods League this past summer; junior outfielder Brian Baron, a transfer who batted .349 at Northwestern last season after earning Freshman All-American honors in
1997; and sophomore outfielder Charles Merricks, an incredible defensive outfielder who is making great strides at the plate after primarily being used as a pitcher last season. From the right side of the plate, there is the always dependable Aldo Pinto, a junior utilityman who is an excellent contact hitter; sophomore outfielder Matt Pearl, the team's opening day left fielder in 1998 who was one of the top hitters in fall ball; freshman infielder Rich Hofman, who has the makings to be a future star and redshirt freshman Cody Joyce. There are two switch hitters battling for playing time: freshman infielder Warren Trott, a 47th round draft choice of the Detroit Tigers who is a solid fielder making good progress at the plate; and redshirt freshman Khelyn Smith, a second baseman with strong potential.
The pitching staff will be led by the "Fab Five", consisting of sophomore lefthander Ryan Carter, sophomore righthander Chad Cislak, freshman righthander Josh Karp, sophomore lefthander Bobby Roe and sophomore righthander Jon Brandt. "We have a very balanced pitching staff. We have very capable righthanders and lefthanders. We have some power pitchers and some cunning, crafty pitchers. We have some over the toppers and some sidearmers," said Adams.
Carter has been named as the team's opening day starter. He served as the team's ace the second half of last season. On a team that finished 24-33, he lost just one game all year, finishing with a 3-1 record. This 6'7" lefty has all the tools to become a dominating pitcher.
Cislak and Karp have been penciled in as the starters for game two and three but Roe has been so impressive in practice lately that he may force his way into the weekend startion.
Karp turned down a two million dollar signing bonus from the Atlanta Braves who drafted him in the eighth round. What separates him from other highly-touted freshmen pitchers around the nation is that he is not just a fastball pitcher. Karp has the 90 m.p.h. fastball but he also throws an incredible changeup which he can throw at various speeds which makes him so effective. In addition, he throws a curveball.
Cislak may have the best arm on the staff. He was perhaps the top recruited pitcher in the nation in 1997 after going 14-0 his senior year at Sabino HS. He struggled last season as a true freshman because he was a one-pitch pitcher but he has become a four-pitch pitcher. He pitched five no-hit innings against College World Series participant Long Beach State at the end of last season and then had a great summer with the Brewster Whitecaps, serving as their closer.
Roe and Brandt will be heavily relied on this season. Pitching coach Tim Leary will come up with a strategy each weekend and use these talented five pitchers in a way that will maximize UCLA's chances of winning all three games of the series. Roe saved seven games in 1998 and was a Freshman All-American. Brandt struck out 40 batters in 43.2 innings before going 8-2 for the Santa Barbara Foresters over the summer. He had an outstanding fall and big things are expected from him.
Adams wants one of the other freshmen to step up and join the mix. The leading candidate might be lefthander Kurt Birkins. He was very impressive in the fall. Another strong possibility is righthander Brian Strelitz, a 33rd round draft choice of the Cleveland Indians. Another possibility is righthander Wade Clark, a 47th round draft choice of the Minnesota Twins.
Redshirt junior Dan Keller and redshirt sophomore lefthander Rob Henkel are two experienced pitchers rehabilitating from surgery. Once they are healthy, they will be counted on. Keller had his best season in 1996 when he won seven games. Henkel was one of the top set-up men in the nation in 1997 and helped lead UCLA to the College World Series. Henkel, who was the team's opening day starter last season, is expected back some time in the second half of the season.Keller has returned to the mound and looking to regain his 1996 form.
Redshirt sophomore righthander Paul Diaz is a valuable asset as he throws strikes consistently. He finished last season as one of the team's top two starters.
Sophomore righthander Tyler Dersom, a sidearmer, has tremendous potential. He was 2-0 last season and led the staff in ERA for a good portion of last season. He will be used as a righthanded set-up man.
After committing 132 errors last season leading to an average of 2.49 unearned runs per game, Adams has stressed defense this fall. The results have been encouraging so far. "We want to go from one of the worst defensive teams in the nation to one of the best. We played good defense in the fall..The fielders made significant improvements from last season. We want to cut off at least 50 errors from last season's total," said Adams.
The anchor of the defense is expected to be Santora who found a home at shortstop at the end of last season. Santora is a solid infielder who has tremendous experience. The right side of the infield has a new look with Utley moving from shortstop to second base and Atkins moving from third base to first base. Utley excelled at second base over the summer in the Cape Cod League and played well there in the fall. UCLA and summer teammate Cislak said, "I feel very comfortable with Utley at second base. He is awesome there. He is a totally different player at second base than he is at shortstop." Atkins is a solid fielder who should do well at first base. He saw some action at first base last season and over the summer in the Cape Cod League. Shelley played good defense this fall at third base. The outfield will be patrolled by Scott, Lyon and Johnson. Scott was primarily a DH last season but has made very significant improvement from a year ago and has turned into a very solid outfielder. Lyon has a major league arm and will be a huge asset. Johnson, a catcher, has been given the starting job in right field to get his bat in the lineup. He has little experience in the outfield but has a strong arm and is a great athlete. Merricks has an incredible arm and is just an all-around great defensive outfielder who could be turned to in the late innings.
By Position:
Catcher: Senior Jason Green will start. Redshirt freshman Adam Berry and sophomore Forrest Johnson will serve as backups. "I would not be afraid to rely on any of our three catchers from a defensive standpoint. We have three outstanding catchers. Green has the edge because of his experience." said head coach Gary Adams.
First Base: Sophomore Garrett Atkins, a 1998 All-American will start. Redshirt sophomores Eric Reece will serve as a backup. "I am hoping Atkins can make the transition from third base. He has some experience there. Reece will be a great backup. He had an excellent fall," said Adams.
Second Base: Sophomore Chase Utley, a 1998 Freshman All-American will start. Junior Aldo Pinto and redshirt freshman Khelyn Smith will serve as backups. "Utley will be one of the keys to our season. Watching Chase play solid defense in the fall was one of the most pleasing things to see. He has excellent hands and turns the double play well. Smith and Pinto are both very capable backups. Pinto is one of the best utiltitymen in the country," said Adams.
Shortstop: Senior Jack Santora, a 1998 Cape Cod League all-star, will start. Freshmen Rich Hofman and Warren Trott will serve as backups. "Santora is one of the leaders of our team. He has lots of experience and is a good ball player to have in the middle of the infield. He knows how to play the game. Hofman and Trott are two talented freshmen who could see time at shortstop or at other positions," said Adams.
Third Base: Freshman Randall Shelley will start. Pinto, Atkins and Santora will serve as backups. "Shelley made a statement this fall. I was pleased with his defense. He was our top defensive
third baseman," said Adams.
Left Field: Sophomore Bill Scott will start. Junior Michael Hymes will serve as the backup. "I like the way Scott played defense this fall. I thought it would take him longer but I saw nothing but good, solid play from him this fall. It was a pleasant surprise," said Adams.
Center Field: Sophomore Nick Lyon is the leading candidate to start. Sophomore Charles Merricks, sophomore Matt Pearl, Hymes will serve as backups. "Lyon had the best fall of this outstanding group. Merricks, Hymes and Pearl are right behind him though," said Adams.
Right Field: Sophomore Forrest Johnson will start. Junior transfer Brian Baron and redshirt freshman Cody Joyce will serve as backups. "Moving Johnson to right field was a way of getting him in the lineup. He is a great athlete
who has a good arm. We want him to play," said Adams.
Designated Hitter: The leading candidates are Baron, Berry, Hymes and Reece. But this spot is completely up for grabs. There are some extremely talented hitters battling for this highly contested spot.
Pitchers: Sophomore lefthander Ryan Carter will begin the season as the No.. 1 starter. Sophomore righthander
Chad Cislak will begin the season as the No. 2 starter. Freshman righthander Josh Karp will begin the season as
the No. 3 starter. Sophomore lefthander Bobby Roe and sophomore righthander Jon Brandt will be heavily relied
and right in the thick of things. Freshman lefthander Kurt Birkins, freshman righthander Brian Strelitz, redshirt
freshman righthander Paul Diaz, sophomore righthander Tyler Dersom and freshman righthander Wade Clark will be counted on. Redshirt junior righthander Dan Keller is due back in January after undergoing shoulder surgery. Redshirt sophomore lefthander Rob Henkel is due back some time during the second half of the season after undergoing elbow surgery. Keller and Henkel are two experienced and talented pitchers.
Atkins And Utley Selected As Preseason All-Americans
Seven Bruins Selected As Players To Watch By Collegiate Baseball
Dersom Wins Agoura Hills Run For Second Year In A Row
Fall 1998 Director's Honor Roll
Schedule
February
2 Pepperdine 6-8
5 Georgia Tech 8-13
6 Georgia Tech 12-3
7 Georgia Tech 6-1
9 @UC Santa Barb. PPD
10 U. of San Diego 4-3
12-14 Big Ball Sports Tournament at Rice University*
12* McNeese St. 5-8
13* Rice 14-6
14* Northwestern St. 4-5
16 @UCSB 2:00
17 @UCSB 2:30#
17-21 San Diego Baseball Classic at San Diego St.+
19+ Loyola Marymnt. 10:00
20+ Texas Tech 10:00
21+ San Diego St. 3:00
24 CS Northridge 2:00
26 California 3:00
27 California 1:00
28 California 1:00
March
2 Michigan 3:00
3 Rikkyo University
of Japan (Exhibition) 6:00
5 USC 6:00
6 USC 1:00
7 USC 1:00
9 @Loyola Mrymnt. 2:00
12 @Arizona 6:00
13 @Arizona 12:00
14 @Arizona 12:00
16 Long Beach St. 3:00
17 @Pepperdine 2:00
27 @Washington$ 1:00
28 @Washington 1:00
29 @Washington 2:00
April
1 @California 2:00
2 @California 2:00
3 @California 1:00
6 @Arkansas 3:35
7 @Arkansas 3:35
11 CS Northridge 1:00
13 Loyola Marymnt. 6:00
16 Arizona St. 6:00
17 Arizona St. 1:00
18 Arizona St. 1:00
20 @Long Beach St. 7:00
23 Washington St. 6:00
24 Washington St. 1:00
25 Washington St. 1:00
27 CS Fullerton 6:00
30 @USC 7:00
May
1 @USC 1:00
2 @USC 1:00
5 @CS Fullerton 7:00
7 Oregon St. 6:00
8 Oregon St. 1:00
9 Oregon St. 1:00
11 @U. of San Diego 3:00
14 Stanford 6:00
15 Stanford$ 1:00
16 Stanford 1:00
28-30 NCAA Regionals
June
4-5 NCAA Super Regionals
11-19 College World Series
$ Indicates game will be televised live on Fox Sports West
Last Home Run:
Player Opponent Date
Atkins Oregon St. 5/08
Berry Rice 2/13
Green USC 4/25
Lyon Stanford 2/20
Johnson Hawaii-Hilo 4/13
Pearl* McNeese St. 2/12
Pinto Arizona 4/12
Santora San Diego St. 4/14
Scott Rice 2/13
Reece Hawaii-Hilo 4/13
Utley Georgia Tech 2/07
Final Six-Pac Standings (1998)
Team Record GB
Stanford 22-8 --
USC 21-9 1
Arizona St. 18-11 3.5
Arizona 12-18 10
UCLA 11-19 11
California 5-24 16.5
*-- First collegiate homerun
Baseball Weekly (Preseason)
Collegiate Baseball (Preseason)
Bruins at UCSB Gauchos (4-5) Feb. 16, 17
The Bruins (6-7) will make two separate trips to Santa Barbara to take on the UCSB Gauchos on Feb. 16 and 17 at 2pm and 2:30pm, respectively. The Gauchos are coming off an impressive series victory over Loyola Marymount, winning two out of three at Loyola's George Page Stadium. The Bruins, who arrived in Los Angeles from Houston on Sunday night, will take the holiday off before traveling to Santa Barbara for game one of the two-game series. UCSB plans to throw either junior LHP Matt Dailey or junior LHP Troy Kinto in the first game. Whoever doesn't start the first game will get the nod on the 17th against the Bruins. UCLA will counter with redshirt sophomore RHP Paul Diaz (1-0, 0.00) on the 16th and a starter to be named on the 17th. Candidates include junior Dan Keller (1-0, 6.43), sophomore Chad Cislak (0-0, 6.00), sophomore Jon Brandt (2-1, 3.20), and freshman Kurt Birkins (0-0, 3.18). The second game was originally scheduled on the 9th, but was postponed due to rain. Under Head Coach Gary Adams, the Bruins are 30-15 against the Gauchos over the last 25 years. The schools did not play last season.
The San Diego Baseball Classic Hosted by San Diego State (Feb. 17-21)
UCLA will make the three-hour drive to San Diego to participate in the San Diego Baseball Classic played at Tony Gwynn Stadium. On Friday, Feb. 19, the Bruins will take on the Loyola Marymount Lions (3-5) at 10am. It will be the first of a three-game series between the two schools continuing on March 9 at LMU and concluding at Jackie Robinson Stadium on the 14th of April. Starting pitchers were undetermined at release time, however, sophomore right-hander Jon Brandt (2-1, 3.20) is the strongest candidate for the UCLA Friday job. Last season, the Bruins split the two-game set with the Lions, winning at home 10-4 and losing at LMU 16-8. Under Gary Adams, UCLA is behind in the all-time series with LMU, 26-24.
The #18 UCLA Bruins (4-5) bounced back from consecutive home losses to dominate the visiting and then #2 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 12-3 and 6-1. The two victories at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Saturday and Sunday gave the Bruins their second straight series victory over the Yellow Jackets. Last year, the Bruins traveled to Atlanta to play in the first-ever meeting between the two schools, winning the last two 10-9 and 13-11.
The senior co-captain earns the award coming off a 7-for-17 8 RBI performance in UCLA's four-game homestand at Jackie Robinson Stadium. He garnered his first 3 RBI of the year in the home opener against Pepperdine and lit up Georgia Tech pitching with a 6-for-13 5 RBI performance in the three-game set in the Bruins' three-game set against the Yellow Jackets.
The Bruins victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday gave skipper Gary Adams 800 victories in 25 years and 1,449 games managing in Westwood. His record at UCLA now stands at 802-650-7 (.552). He had been stuck on 799 for ten days and two games before reaching the 800-plateau. Now in his 25th season at the helm, Adams became UCLA's all-time winningest head baseball coach on March 2, 1997 when UCLA defeated Minnesota in the Metrodome, 13-5 to win the Hormel Foods Classic. He surpassed Art Reichle's 747 win-total (30 seasons).
Overall Pac-10 Pac-10
Year Team Record Pct. Record Finish
1970 UC Irvine 33-12-3 .733 -- --
1971 UC Irvine 31-17-1 .646 -- --
1972 UC Irvine 32-20-1 .615 -- --
1973 UC Irvine* 44-12-0 .786 -- --
1974 UC Irvine* 48-8-0 .857 -- --
1975 UCLA 31-22-0 .585 7-11 Third
1976 UCLA** 35-25-0 .583 16-8 First
1977 UCLA 31-30-0 .508 10-8 Second
1978 UCLA 39-20-0 .661 9-9 Second
1979 UCLA** 43-18-0 .705 21-9 First
1980 UCLA 31-22-3 .580 15-15 Third
1981 UCLA 21-35-0 .375 7-23 Sixth
1982 UCLA 38-27-0 .585 11-19 Fourth
1983 UCLA 28-24-1 .538 12-18 Fifth
1984 UCLA 28-32-0 .467 8-22 Sixth
1985 UCLA 34-30-1 .531 13-17 Fifth
1986 UCLA** 39-23-0 .629 21-9 First
1987 UCLA 40-25-1 .610 16-14 Second
1988 UCLA 31-28-0 .525 12-18 Fifth
1989 UCLA 27-32-0 .458 10-20 Fifth
1990 UCLA 41-26-0 .619 14-16 Fourth
1991 UCLA 29-30-0 .492 13-17 Fourth
1992 UCLA 37-26-0 .587 14-16 Third
1993 UCLA 37-23-0 .616 17-13 Second
1994 UCLA 22-36-0 .579 11-19 Fifth
1995 UCLA 29-28-0 .509 12-18 Fifth
1996 UCLA 37-27-0 .563 16-14 Third
1997 UCLA 45-21-1 .578 19-11 Second
1998 UCLA 24-33-0 .422 11-19 Fifth
1999 UCLA 6-7-0 .461 0-0 ???
Tournament Preview: Big Ball Sports Tournament (Houston)
Participating Schools: UCLA, Rice, McNeese St., Northwestern State
Feb. 13 @ 11am PST-- #18 Bruins vs. #2 Rice Owls (6-1)
The Cowboys, out of the Southland Conference, are the only team to have beaten the Owls this year.
Feb. 14 @ 10am PST--#18 Bruins vs. Northwestern State (1-0)
UCLA takes on the Demons in the final game of the Big Ball Sports Tournament on Valentine's Day.
The Tuesday, February 9 contest between the #18 UCLA Bruins (4-5) and the UCSB Gauchos (2-4) has been postponed due to rain. Originally scheduled for a 2:00pm start in Santa Barbara, the game has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 17 at 2:30 in Santa Barbara. It will become the back-end of a two-game series beginning on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 2:00 in Santa Barbara. Sophomore southpaw Ryan Carter (0-1, 4.15), who was scheduled to pitch against UCSB, will instead throw against the University of San Diego Toreros (2-1) tomorrow, Feb. 10 at 2:00 at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Senior lefthander Mark Vallecorsa (1-0, 4.22) will start for San Diego. Last season, the Bruins defeated the Gauchos 16-4 in their only meeting.Under Head Coach Gary Adams, UCLA leads the all-time series 30-15
San Diego (2-1) at #18 Bruins, Feb. 10 @ 2pm
The Toreros visit Jackie Robinson Stadium for the first of a two-game set that concludes on May 11 at San Diego. Last season, the Bruins swept the two-game home-and-home series with the Toreros, 7-1 and 8-2. Under Adams, the Bruins are 11-4 versus the University of San Diego.
R/LHP -- Bruin ('99 W-L, ERA) vs. R/LHP -- Torero ('99 W-L, ERA)
RHP -- Carter (0-1, 4.15) vs. LHP -- Mark Vallecorsa (1-0, 4.22)
UCLA Pitching Sharp as Bruins Beat Georgia Tech 6-1 to Capture the Series
Sophomore right-hander Jon Brandt and junior right-hander Dan Keller combined to toss a six-hitter at the visiting #2 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-4), as the Bruins won 6-1 on a foggy Sunday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium. #16 UCLA (4-5) pounded out six runs on eight hits, including seventh inning homers by sophomores Chase Utley and Bill Scott off Tech reliever Justin Thompson. Brandt and Keller were aided by a defense that posted it's second straight errorless game. Utley homered for the second time in as many games, and Scott blasted the first homerun of his sophomore campaign. With the victory, UCLA takes two out of three from the Yellow Jackets for the second year in a row.
The surprisingly stingy UCLA bullpen finally lost some of its miserly charm as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-2) blasted it for eight runs (all earned) in the contest's final three innings to overcome a three-run deficit. UCLA (2-5) tagged Tech starter Chuck Crowder for eight runs (seven earned) on ten hits, but fell flat against freshman Rhett Parrott who picked earned his first collegiate victory, allowing only one hit and no runs in pitching the final 2.2 innings of the game. Crowder, a 1998 All-American as a junior, has allowed 11 runs in eight innings in two starts for an ERA of 12.38, up from last year's paltry 3.03 ERA.
The UCLA Bruins lost only their third home opener in the '90s, as the Pepperdine Waves (4-0) held off a ninth-inning threat by the Bruins. UCLA (2-4), down 8 to 6 in the bottom of the ninth managed to get runners on second and third with one out before a groundout by senior catcher Jason Green and a fly-out to right by redshirt freshman DH Adam Berry.
The Bruins finally adjusted to swinging wood bats, providing the pitching staff with adequate run support in a doubleheader against the Hawaii-Hilo Vulcans at Kailua-Kona. The first game, originally scheduled for Saturday, January 25 in Hilo was cancelled due to heavy rain This forced a doubleheader in Kailua-Kona, with the first game reduced to a seven inning affair. Redshirt Junior Dan Keller made his first appearance on the mound since May of 1997 for the Bruins, pitching three innings and allowing only one hit and one run . The victory was his first since May 3, 1997, a 7-6 win over Cal. Freshman Brian Strelitz made his collegiate debut, pitching the final four innings in relief and allowing no earned runs to cross the plate. Bruin batters torched Hilo's No. 1 starter, Chad Agustin for six runs in five innings, handing him the loss. Brian Baron, a junior transfer from Northwestern, made his first start for the Bruins in place of injured right fielder Forrest Johnson, going two for five with one RBI.
Not knowing they would be using wood instead of aluminum in Hawaii until one day prior to leaving for Oahu, the Bruins were forced to borrow Hawaii's bats for the duration of the series. UCLA practiced very little with wood during fall/winter practice, and it showed on their end of the scoreboard throughout the series. The three-run total for the series tied for the lowest scoring out put over a three-game span in the Gary Adams era (24 years) and set a new low for fewest runs in a three-game series. UC Irvine, Stanford, and Gonzaga held the Bruins to a three-run total in 1986. It was the first time under Adams that the Bruins have started the season 0-3 and the first time they have been shutout twice in one season by a nonconference opponent. Before Hawaii did it the Bruins have only been shutout twice in a row one time in 24 years. USC did it in 1984, 837 games ago.
Statistics Through 2/07
Pos. Player Class 1999 Stats (Avg., HR, RBI)
SS Jack Santora Sr. .257, 0, 0
CF Nick Lyon So. .000, 0, 0
CF/DH Matt Pearl So. .208, 0, 2
1B Garrett Atkins So. .323, 0, 2
2B Chase Utley So. .250, 2, 4
LF Bill Scott So. .300, 1, 7
C Jason Green Sr. .333, 0, 8
RF Forrest Johnson So. .125, 0, 1
RF/DH Brian Baron Jr. .267, 0, 4
3B Randall Shelley Fr. .192, 0, 3
DH Adam Berry Red Fr. .286, 3, 6
DH Mike Hymes Jr. .000, 0, 1
DH Charles Merricks So. .000, 0, 1
DH Aldo Pinto Jr. .167, 0, 1
DH Eric Reece So. .250, 0, 0
The 1999 UCLA Bruins are ready to challenge for a trip to the College World Series. After reaching the College World Series in 1997, the coaching staff compiled the top-rated recruiting class in the country. In 1998, that freshman class lived up to its high billing. But the freshmen were inexperienced. Couple that with the fact that they were playing in the same league as the two finalists in the College World Series (USC and Arizona State), and the team ranked No. 1 for most of the season (Stanford), and it is not difficult to understand why the Bruins finished the season with a 24-33 overall record.
Sophomore first baseman Garrett Atkins, a National Player of the Year candiate, was selected by Baseball America as a second-team All-American and by Collegiate Baseball as a third-team All-American. Sophomore second baseman Chase Utley was a third-team selection by Baseball America.
Sophomore first baseman Garrett Atkins, sophomore second baseman Chase Utley, senior shortstop Jack Santora, sophomore lefthander Ryan Carter, sophomore righthander Chad Cislak, sophomore lefthander Bobby Roe and freshman righthander Josh Karp were all selected as "Players to Watch" by Collegiate Baseball. UCLA had more players selected as "Players to Watch" than any other school in the Pac-10. UCLA had more pitchers selected than any other school in the Pac-10 and was the only school which had its entire starting pitching rotation selected.
Sophomore pitcher Tyler Dersom won the Agoura Hills run for the second year in a row. The valley native completed the valley course in 22:06, 25 seconds ahead of second place finisher sophomore pitcher Jon Brandt. Coach Adams has instilled a new conditioning program for the pitchers this season. The results seem encouraging so far, as the top four finishers were all pitchers. The top 10 finisheres were: Dersom (22:06), Brandt (22:31), Kurt Birkins (23:44), Wade Clark (23:53), Forrest Johnson (24:22), Josh Karp (24:26), Rich Hofman (24:47), Chase Utley (25:30), Michael Hymes (25:42), Brian Strelitz (25:48).
Five baseball players were selected to the director's honor roll for the fall quarter. They were Adam Berry, Chad Cislak, Rob Henkel, Matt Pearl and Eric Reece. Berry and Cislak received special recognition for having GPAs of 3.50 or better. Cislak received all As in four classes, including two upper division courses.
Date Opponent Result/Time (PST)
January
16 Professionals 1-3
22 @Hawaii 0-3
23 @Hawaii 0-6
24 @Hawaii 3-5
26 #1 @Hawaii-Hilo 7-2
26 #2 @Hawaii-Hilo 5-0
Preseason Coaches' Poll
First place votes are in parentheses and total points received are in the right column
1. USC (8) 64
2. Stanford (1) 55
3. Washington 38
4. UCLA 37
4. Arizona State
6. California 36
7. Arizona 34
8. Oregon State 12
9. Washington State 11
Polls :
The Bruins are ranked #18 in Collegiate Baseball
1. Wichita St.
2. Ga. Tech
3. USC
4. Rice
5. LBSU
6. Miami (Fla.)
7. LSU
8. Stanford
9. Florida St.
10. Oklahoma
11. CSUF
12. Auburn
13. Texas Tech
14. Florida
15. S. Carolina
16. UCLA
17. Florida
18. Arkansas
19. Okla. St.
20. Clemson
21. Wake Forest
22. Baylor
23. N. Carolina
24. Washington
25. Tulane
26. Arizona
27. Arizona St.
28. Tennessee
29. Minnesota
30. Illinois
Baseball America (Preseason)
1. USC
2. LBSU
3. Miami (Fla.)
4. Florida St.
5. Wichita St.
6. Rice
7. Stanford
8. LSU
9. Ga. Tech
10. Florida
11. Texas A&M
12. Arizona St.
13. Alabama
14. CSUF
15. Clemson
16. N. Carolina
17. Wake Forest
18. Auburn
19. Texas Tech
20. Washington
21. Okla. St.
22. Arkansas
23. California
24. Houston
25. S. Carolina
