Bruin baseball kicks off new season with series in Hawaii
By Daily Bruin Staff
Jan. 19, 1995 9:00 p.m.
Bruin baseball kicks off new season with series in Hawaii
By Ruben Gutierrez
The UCLA baseball team will begin its season by traveling to
Hawaii to play a three-game series beginning today with a 10 p.m.
game at Rainbow Stadium.
Last season, the Bruins finished with a 22-36 overall record and
11-19 in the Pacific-10 Southern Division, finishing fifth. The
Southern Division, comprised of California, Stanford, UCLA, USC,
Arizona and Arizona State, is widely considered one of the toughest
in the nation. Last season, UCLA also dropped three games to Hawaii
by a total of four runs.
In order to have a successful campaign, UCLA will have to
overcome the loss of several key players. In left field, the Bruins
lose first team All Pac-10 Southern Division selection and team
captain David Roberts.
UCLA will be helped considerably by the return of experienced
performers Gar Vallone, Tim DeCinces and Brett Schafer. Vallone, a
senior, will man the shortstop position for the third consecutive
season. Vallone is an excellent defensive player and also one of
the top hitters in the conference. This will be the second starting
season for DeCinces at catcher, where he earned freshman
All-American honors last season. Schafer is a returning starter in
center field who possesses great speed and one of the strongest
arms on the team.
The squad’s chances for success will be bolstered by the
addition of a stellar freshman class. Troy Glaus will be an
immediate starter at third base. Glaus, a high school All-American
at shortstop at Carlsbad High School in San Diego, was drafted in
the second round by the San Diego Padres. Peter Zamora begins the
season at first base with an edge over sophomore Ben Craig. Zamora
is filling a traditionally star-studded role, with major leaguer
Eric Karros and ’93 grad Ryan McGuire having also played the
position for UCLA.
Eric Byrnes is embroiled in a heated competition for the right
field position with senior transfer Mike Seal and his brother,
sophomore Scott Seal. Pitchers Jim Parque and Thomas Jacquez are
leading candidates to step into the starting rotation, along with
sophomores John Phillips and Ryan Lynch. Parque and Jacquez were a
combined 21-5 last year.
The first home game for the Bruins will be Wednesday, Feb. 1,
against San Diego State. The game will begin at 3 p.m. at Jackie
Robinson Stadium.
