Bruins tame Toreros for close win

Thursday, February 11, 1999

Bruins tame Toreros for close win

BASEBALL: Victory puts UCLA team back at .500 entering tough
weekend

By Rocky Salmon

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

Wednesday at Jackie Robinson Stadium, the University of San
Diego baseball team (2-2) tried to come away with a midweek game
win.

They almost accomplished their goal – except UCLA received a
good dose of relief.

Leading 3-1 entering the sixth inning, the Toreros were looking
at a monstrous non-conference win. But they didn’t count on the
bullpen giving them trouble.

Just like the freezing wind blowing through the stadium, UCLA’s
strong bullpen pictures displayed their cannons by taking over for
starting pitcher Ryan Carter and freezing the rest of the Torero
lineup.

The UCLA Bruins’ bullpen was led by Bobby Roe and Paul Diaz, who
saw his first action on the year.

Diaz came in to relieve Carter after he gave up three runs and
had 11 strikeouts through six innings. Diaz only gave up one walk
in two innings pitched.

The ninth inning became Roe time. The last game Roe pitched was
against Georgia Tech, when he came in relief of Jon Brandt and shut
down the Yellowjackets. This time would be no different, as Roe
stepped up on the mound and shut down the Toreros.

The start of the game looked to be innocuous enough, as neither
team could really mount a real rally.

Then the Toreros blew up against left-handed ace Ryan Carter,
who had previously been shelled against Georgia Tech. Carter would
leave the game with a 3-1 deficit.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Bruin bats came alive and UCLA
punched through a run.

Playing like a National League team, UCLA was clawing and
scratching for a victory and entering the eighth inning the game
was tied.

Then it was Berry time. Adam Berry is coming off a monster
series against the Yellowjackets, where he smashed three
homeruns.

This time all it took was a single to bring home the winning
run, but it still had the reverberating effect of a homer.

The bottom of the eighth started off with the superstar of the
game, Garrett Atkins – who went 4-4 – when he punched a single to
right off of starting shortstop Ryan Hamilton.

Hamilton was USD’s fifth pitcher in the game. The Toreros tried
to styme the Bruins’ hot offense by giving them different looks. It
worked as UCLA only mounted eight hits.

But it all came together for the Bruins in the eighth inning
after Atkins reached first base. He would then advance on a pass
ball – and then it was up to Berry’s heroics.

When the ninth ended, UCLA stood with a 4-3 win – and even more
importantly, are now back at the .500 mark on the season at 5-5.
The Bruins will enter a murderous tournament this weekend.

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