Errors riddle match against Fullerton

Thursday, February 26, 1998

Errors riddle match against Fullerton

BASEBALL: Team slip ups, despite steady offense, lower fan
morale, faith

By Kristina Wilcox

Daily Bruin Staff

Lots of Bruin fans must prefer music awards shows over college
baseball, because it sure showed in the lack of attendance to last
night’s UCLA game vs. Cal State Fullerton.

The 246 people at Jackie Robinson Stadium were mostly scouts for
major-league and college teams. Even the visiting Fullerton squad
had more fans cheering them on than the Bruins did.

With that in mind, UCLA (7-8) has additional work to do as they
try to keep their heads above water after 15 games. Not only do
they have to win games to keep the fans, which they did not do on
Wednesday night, but they also need to continue to believe in
themselves as a team.

The Bruins lost to the Titans (8-5), 11-8. UCLA put together
some good offense, but that was not enough for them to pull out a
victory, as it might have been last season.

"The club has been doing good with the bats," hitting coach
Vince Beringhele said. "We just can’t get the wins."

Defensive errors during the course of the game helped Fullerton
score a few times. Of the 11 runs that crossed the plate, four were
unearned. Without the three errors, UCLA could have won the ball
game, especially since the errors occurred in the pivotal eighth
and ninth innings.

Third baseman Garrett Atkins bobbled a tough chopper for the
first error of the eighth inning, which was followed by relief
pitcher Bobby Roe’s miscue on a sacrifice bunt. Both runners, who
could have been the the second and third outs, went on to score, as
well as the following hitter, who got on base via a walk. Another
walk would score in the ninth inning.

Head coach Gary Adams recalled Atkins’ play as one of the key
points in the game: "I think he could have made the play," Adams
said. "It wasn’t an easy choice to call that and error or a hit. On
the bench, half of us were signalling error, and the other said it
was a hit. If he handled the ball, he would have gotten the guy out
at first because of his great arm."

UCLA rides a four-game losing streak into a big weekend against
No. 2 USC.

"The challenge is just beginning," Beringhele said. "The team
needs to keep believing in themselves and stick together."

Maybe fans will unglue themselves from television sets and get
out to see them play.