Team upsets Pepperdine to extend winning streak
By Gilbert Quiñonez
April 17, 2007 10:18 p.m.
The Bruins are on one of their best winning stretches in several years, and that continued on Tuesday night.
UCLA beat Pepperdine 6-2, pulling the upset against the No. 11 team in the country.
The No. 24 Bruins have won 11 of their last 13 games, improving their record to 19-16 (8-1 Pac-10). Before that stretch, they had lost nine of their previous 10 games.
“We’re playing better as a team,” coach John Savage said. “Offensively, we’ve been fantastic. We’ve played good defense. We’ve been pitching well. A lot of things are happening.”
Tuesday, the Bruins kept getting clutch hits and kept doing the little things at the plate and on the basepaths.
The Bruins scored their six runs in five different innings and scored four of their runs with two outs.
“Clutching up with the bat has been a big key for us,” freshman outfielder Justin Uribe said. “We’ve been coming up with the big hits, and earlier in the season that wasn’t there all the time.”
Uribe came up to the plate twice on Tuesday with two outs and a runner in scoring position and got a run-scoring single both times.
“Our two-out hitting has been unbelievable for us the last few weeks,” said sophomore catcher Ryan Babineau, who went 1 for 3 and scored a run.
Uribe also had a sacrifice, one of three that led to a run later in the inning.
“We’re getting guys around. We’re executing better. We’re making good pitches. We’re just playing good baseball,” Savage said.
On the mound, freshman Garett Claypool got the start for UCLA and pitched five shutout innings, earning his first collegiate win.
“I’m pumped for him,” Babineau said. “He threw the ball really well and had command of all his pitches. I couldn’t be more happy for the guy.”
Claypool allowed only three hits, struck out three and did not issue a walk.
“Claypool was good,” Savage said. “Claypool’s been good all year. He’s given us some quality starts and given us some innings out of the bullpen. He’s going to have a good career at UCLA the next couple of years.”
Another player who shined on Tuesday was sophomore infielder Jermaine Curtis.
He made several key defensive plays at third base, including a behind-the-back basket catch in foul territory in the eighth inning, which hurt a potential rally by Pepperdine.
“He made a huge play,” Babineau said.
“It’s a big part of our defense having Jermaine out there. He’s done an unbelievable job for us.”
Curtis also went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a sacrifice bunt.
While he had been helping his team with his glove, Curtis had been struggling at the plate before Tuesday.
“I’m trying to get on a roll,” Curtis said. “That bloop single I had in the eighth got my confidence up. I’m trying to heat up.”
Next up is a three-game series against Cal State Northridge at Jackie Robinson Stadium. But Tuesday night, the Bruins were focused on the big win.
“Every game’s important but Pepperdine being a highly ranked team, it’s a good win for us,” Babineau said.
