Trojans sweep away UCLA playoff hopes

Tuesday, May 14, 1996

Regionals in doubt for baseball after three-game dusting By
Brian Purcell

Daily Bruin Contributor

In the sixth inning of last night’s game against USC, UCLA head
coach Gary Adams thought it was time to light a fire under his
listless team.

A called strike that made the count 3-1 on right fielder Eric
Byrnes prompted Adams to run from the dugout straight into the face
of the home plate umpire. Adams’ hat-turned-backwards, nose-to-nose
tirade lasted about two minutes, and ended with Adams getting the
thumb as the USC crowd applauded his ejection.

Adams’ outburst seemed to fire up Byrnes, who looked like he was
trying to hit the ball about two miles as he fouled off the next
pitch, but the rest of the Bruins didn’t seem to be positively
affected by Adams’ inspired tongue-lashing.

The 3-1 lead that the Trojans held in the sixth insidiously grew
throughout the rest of the game, and by the time it was over,
third-ranked USC (39-13-1 overall, 24-6 in Six-Pac) had an 8-1
victory, culminating a three-game sweep over UCLA (32-24,
16-14).

The loss to USC was the sixth consecutive conference loss for
the Bruins and leaves their playoff status up in the air. Sixteen
wins in the Six-Pac is usually good enough for an NCAA Regional
bid, but by losing their last six, the Bruin playoff hopes are at
best uncertain.

The lone bright spot for the Bruins on Monday night was a
mammoth fourth-inning home run by catcher Tim DeCinces. His blast
cleared the 365-foot sign in right-center field with ease, and left
spectators pointing in amazement at the spot in the tree where it
landed.

DeCinces’ 13th homer cut UCLA’s deficit to 2-1, but the Bruins
were unable to score again despite several opportunities. They left
13 runners on base over the course of the game, as USC starter
Scott Henderson (7-1) was able to get the outs when he needed them.
Henderson threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits, four walks and
one run while picking up the victory.

UCLA starter Nick St. George (1-3) kept the Bruins in the game
as he left in the sixth having allowed just three runs (two of them
earned) and seven hits during his five full innings.

St. George was taken out of the game with runners on first and
second base and no outs, and was replaced by freshman Dan Keller
(6-3). Keller allowed the two inherited runners to score, both of
which charged to St. George, but got out of the rest of the inning
unscathed.

The Trojans took up their scoring again in the seventh inning as
Bruin killer Jason Brown unloaded a three-run bomb to put the
finishing touches on UCLA. Brown, who is normally the backup
catcher, went three-for-four in the game with a double and six
RBIs.

The Bruins didn’t even hint at comeback during either of the
final two innings, being retired quietly at the hands of USC
reliever Javier Mejia.

Just a few weeks ago, UCLA seemed assured of a bid to the NCAA
Regionals. But its stumbles at the end of the Six-Pac season is not
what UCLA was looking for going into next Monday’s regional
selections. An impressive performance in next weekend’s three-game
season-ending set with the University of Nevada-Reno will be needed
if the Bruins are to have a chance at making the playoffs.

ANDREW SCHOLER/Daily Bruin

Tim DeCinces crushed his 13th homer of the year on Monday.