Bruin bats make history
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 8, 1996 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 9, 1996
Loss of Ammirato doesn’t stop baseball from sweeping BearsBy
Yoni Tamler
Daily Bruin Staff
In sweeping a three-game series with the California Golden Bears
on the road, the UCLA baseball team did something it had not done
since 1979. That was 16 seasons ago, the first year the Six-Pac as
we now know it existed as a subdivision of the Pacific 10
conference.
The Bruins of 1996 have also gone undefeated in six games
against the Bears for the first time in UCLA’s Six-Pac history.
That achievement becomes more striking when you consider that in
the latter series with Cal, the Bruins were without their most
valuable player.
Writing a not-so-insignificant footnote to this weekend’s sweep
was senior third-baseman Zak Ammirato. The Bruin senior did not
make the trip to Berkeley because of a triple blood clot in his
left index finger so serious in nature that, had it gone undetected
beyond last week, may have required amputation of the finger and
quite possibly the whole left hand.
With Ammirato now on a blood-thinning medication to treat the
finger, the Bruins (22-12, 13-5 Six-Pac) will take no chance
playing him through this week and are putting his return on hold
indefinitely. That brings up the possibility of Ammirato sitting
out the remainder of the season, which has 21 games left before the
Pac-10 playoffs and post season begin.
"It’s a little disheartening," Ammirato said about the set-back.
"Whenever there’s the possibility of missing the rest of the season
it’s scary. I feel sorry for the team, like I’m copping out on them
or something, but there’s nothing I can do about it."
Ammirato was alerted to the situation last week after UCLA’s
18-8 loss to Fullerton, when he noticed the finger was cold and
discolored. At practice the following day, he was advised by one of
the UCLA coaches to see the team physician. The Bruins shudder to
think what may have occurred had Ammirato merely overlooked what
first seemed to be a trifling abnormality.
"The funny thing is I’m completely healthy otherwise," Ammirato
said. "I might get a second opinion though, so maybe it’ll work
out."
In the meantime, the Bruins will be awaiting Ammirato’s return
to the lineup with bated breath. In addition to being the team
captain, Ammirato leads the club with his .345 batting average and
31 RBIs and is as strong a presence in the clubhouse as he is on
the field.
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Nick St. George will likely see action on the mound when No. 11
UCLA takes on Long Beach State.
