Baseball loses to CSU Fullerton, postseason hopes dwindle

Needing to win at least 10 out of its last 11 games to have any shot at making the postseason, UCLA baseball made its life much more difficult on Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

By dropping its last midweek home game of the season 1-0 to Cal State Fullerton (24-20, 7-8 Big West), UCLA (23-22-1, 10-11 Pac-12) would have to win its remaining 10 games to have an RPI in the top 45, which is considered necessary to earn a postseason bid.

“We do believe (that we can win out). It’s going to be an extreme challenge,” said coach John Savage. “We’ve been there before. Our backs have been up against the wall before. … This is the first time we’ve been in this position in quite a while, but you got to be able to step up and do your job.”

This feat will be more difficult to accomplish with the news that junior closer David Berg has been unavailable in the last four games as the injury bug continues to bite the Bruins. Berg is day-to-day for the foreseeable future with a strained biceps.

“We still hope that he will be able to pitch for us, but right now it’s basically a day-to-day thing with his arm,” Savage said. “There’s no structural damage to the elbow or the shoulder. It’s one of those 15-day DL injuries.”

UCLA only gave up one run to Cal State Fullerton, but it was a big one as Cal State Fullerton junior third baseman Matt Chapman put a big fly over the left field wall in the third inning. The home run helped the Titans sweep the season series against the Bruins, who have now lost three straight and have been shut out in two of the last three. UCLA is an underwhelming 11-17 at home.

Freshman pitcher Grant Dyer limited the damage otherwise, as he worked around seven hits and two walks in four innings. Freshman reliever Scott Burke gave the Bruins two innings of scoreless relief, while three different relievers combined to throw three shutout innings as well.

“I thought Grant struggled throwing his fastball for strikes, throwing his breaking ball for strikes,” Savage said. “At the end of the day, he gave us an opportunity to win. It wasn’t pretty, but I thought our bullpen was outstanding.”

It was an ugly night offensively for both teams as they were a combined 0-17 with runners in scoring position.

“People are just trying to do too much,” said senior first baseman Pat Gallagher. “In big situations, just trying to get that clutch hit instead of leaving it up for the guy behind them.”

Specifically, UCLA’s offense continued its season-long funk, only recording six hits and going 0-4 with runners in scoring position. The Bruins struck out nine times and left eight runners on base.

“We left eight guys on base, so we did have chances,” Savage said. “There again, we just did not hit with runners in scoring position, (had) too many strikeouts and that was the difference in the game.”

With the Bruins travelling to Corvallis, Ore., this weekend to take on No. 2 Oregon State, the top team in the conference, they will be hard-pressed to avoid losing any games from here on out to preserve their chance at having an opportunity to defend their 2013 national championship.

“When there’s a will, there’s a way,” said sophomore outfielder Ty Moore. “If we come together and we put our minds to it, it is doable. Crazier things have happened.”