Hurlers hope comeback not too late
By Daily Bruin Staff
May 15, 1996 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 16, 1996
After injury-ravaged year, playoff berth hangs in balance By
Yoni Tamler
Daily Bruin Staff
Back in January, the UCLA baseball team expressed with
conviction that it was the team to beat and predicted a UCLA trip
to the College World Series for the first time in head coach Gary
Adams’ Division I career.
But that hubris has since fallen by the wayside, and the Bruins
are crossing their fingers going into next week’s NCAA Regional
selections. Many wonder why UCLA, with its talent-rich lineup,
hasn’t locked itself into the playoffs. One reason is injuries,
mainly to the pitching staff.
People tend to forget about absent players, but in this season
alone UCLA has been without captain Zak Ammirato for a month,
pitcher/first baseman Pete Zamora for parts of the year, and
pitchers Tom Jacquez and John Phillips for virtually the entire
1996 campaign.
UCLA expected Jacquez, a left-hander, to break into the starting
lineup following an impressive fall practice. Then, after a handful
of appearances this year, Jacquez’s appendix ruptured and he was
operated on, putting him on the disabled list until just
recently.
"I probably won’t know until the team leaves for regionals,"
replied Jacquez to whether he will return to the team this year or
instead opt for a medical redshirt. "It depends on how this week
goes, how my strength is and the kind of shape I’m in. If I come
back before I’m ready and I get hurt again I could do more harm to
the team than good. If the decision is made for me to play, there’s
no turning back and I’ve gotta give it all I have."
In other words, if and when the Bruins make it to the regionals,
when pitching is of utmost concern, Jacquez is prepared to give up
a year of eligibility to further UCLA’s run.
Another player who would like to pitch at all costs is Zamora. A
sore back has bothered the sophomore left-hander all season long,
keeping Zamora out of last weekend’s three losses to USC.
"Right now it’s tightening up on me again," Zamora said, "but
I’ll do whatever it takes to get back in time  go to the
training room every day or whatever."
Zamora is also sure that UCLA will make it to the playoffs one
way or another, even if that means having to sweep Reno next
weekend.
"I talked to some guys on other teams in the Six-Pac, and they
all told me that we would go, so I’m 99.9 percent sure that we
will," Zamora said. "When it comes down to the end I think this
team will sack up and make it to the regionals."
