UCLA attempts to initiate fall of the Titans

Wednesday, April 22, 1998

UCLA attempts to initiate fall of the Titans

PREVIEW: Overlooking Bruins would be deadly for talented CS
Fullerton

By Vytas Mazeika

Daily Bruin Staff

After a disappointing weekend in which the UCLA baseball team
lost all three games to conference foe Arizona State, the Bruins
(18-27) must now prove that their record is not indicative of the
talent of the 1998 squad.

This new task begins tonight at 7 p.m. at Titan Field.

UCLA travels to play No. 16 Cal State Fullerton (32-12) for the
second time this season. In their first meeting, the Titans came
out on top 21-4 at Jackie Robinson Stadium, and revenge must be on
the mind of the Bruins.

Although UCLA’s playoff hopes are almost non-existent after the
19-10, 8-7 and 18-4 losses to ASU, the Bruins have far too much
talent to be considered pushovers. UCLA challenged many of the top
teams in the country (Stanford, USC and ASU) but never seemed to
put it all together for more than five games at a time.

The Bruins lost many stars from last season’s 45-21-1 team –
making this a rebuilding year. Nevertheless, the Titans can’t be
caught looking ahead to their Big West match-up against Long Beach
State. If Fullerton makes the mistake of looking past the
struggling Bruins, the Titans could easily lose tonight’s game.

On the mound for UCLA will be senior right-hander Tony Righetti
(1-0, 2.25 ERA). Righetti is a little over one week removed from
his masterful pitching performance against Hawaii Hilo. On April 13
at home, Righetti limited the Vulcans to one hit (a leadoff double)
and a ninth-inning walk in a game that lasted a meager two hours
and 17 minutes.

Amazingly, that was Righetti’s first start of the entire season
after leading the 1997 College World Series squad with a 2.63
ERA.

Pitching for Fullerton will be sophomore left-hander Mike Garner
(1-0, 1.29).

Also of note is UCLA senior outfielder Eric Valent’s chase for
the Pac-10 homerun record. Against the Sun Devils’ Valent hit his
23rd homer of the season and 62nd of his college career – tying him
with ex-teammate Troy Glaus for the Bruin and Pac-10 records.

After not hitting a single four-bagger in the first seven games
of the season, Valent (one of UCLA’s co-captains) finds himself
only four homers shy of reaching his 1997 total.