Bruin effort can’t overcome pitching errors in fall to 49ers

Wednesday, March 4, 1998

Bruin effort can’t overcome pitching errors in fall to 49ers

BASEBALL: Long Beach State punishes UCLA for mistakes on
mound

By Vytas Mazeika

Daily Bruin Staff

Tuesday was a night to forget for the UCLA baseball team, as
Long Beach State came out on top, 21-5.

The Bruins (8-11) were behind 16-3 by the fifth inning and could
do nothing right.

The 49ers (6-9) came out determined to pound on the Bruins, and
they did just that – four 49er starters combined to hit five
homeruns in the game.

"We really broke out this weekend," Long Beach State head coach
Dave Snow said. "We just had a lot of confidence tonight."

The Bruins never gave up, but effort was not enough last night.
UCLA junior outfielder Eric Valent made a jaw-dropping, head-first,
diving catch in the six-run sixth inning, and sophomore designated
hitter Michael Hymes beat out an infield single in the eighth.

But when your pitching staff allows 20 earned runs, it is very
likely that your team is going to lose.

"It wasn’t that nobody wasn’t trying," UCLA head coach Gary
Adams said. "We just didn’t pitch very well, and every mistake we
made on the hill, Long Beach State punished us. Some pitchers are
going to have to step up."

The offensive outburst by the 49ers started when freshman
catcher Bryan Kennedy, who finished the game with six RBIs, hit his
first two homers of the season in the first and third innings.

"I’ve been struggling, so it was great," Kennedy said. "I was
just seeing the ball really well tonight."

On the mound for the 49ers, junior left-hander Mike Gallo (1-1)
settled down after a three-run first inning to earn his first win
of the year. He baffled hitters with his change-up and allowed only
two hits and one walk in his last four innings of work.

"He settled down a lot," Snow said. "He seemed to find his
change-up. It’s a lot easier pitching when you’ve got a lot of
runs."

On a night the Bruins would rather not remember, Adams sees one
positive. Valent not only made a great diving catch, he batted two
for three to raise his average to .269 and came within a few feet
of a monster four-bagger in the eighth inning.

"I saw signs in Eric Valent coming out of it," Adams said. "He
made adjustments tonight. That was a very good sign. It’s one of
the bright spots for me."

Kimberly Edds, Daily Bruin contributor, assisted with this
report.