Tuesday, April 14, 1998
Vulcans blown up in one-hit shutout
BASEBALL:
By Vytas Mazeika
Daily Bruin Staff
UCLA center fielder Eric Valent hit his 20th homer of the
season, and the Bruins (18-23) scored 16 runs in their victory over
Hawaii-Hilo Monday night, so it would be fair to say offense was
the story of the night. Nope.
Bruin senior Tony Righetti (1-0), making his first start of the
season, dominated the Vulcans (13-31) and threw a one-hit shutout
while striking out 11. The most surprising stat of Righetti’s
complete game outing was not the lone hit allowed or the 11
strikeouts, but rather the single walk he allowed in this
two-hour-and-17- minute affair.
"I knew I’d go as long as I was getting outs, so I just wanted
to throw strikes," Righetti said. "I know how cold it is out here
when I have to watch games."
The hit came from the very first batter of the game – therefore
keeping the pressure of a no-hitter out of Righetti’s mind. Vulcan
right fielder Adam Cancellieri ripped a double and was stranded on
third.
Righetti faced only 30 batters – three over the minimum.
"That was the best thing that happened – when that guy got the
hit because everybody wasn’t going to leave me alone," Righetti
said. "I had people talking to me since I gave up the hit early,
and the game went by quicker."
Righetti, a senior, had only pitched three innings coming into
Monday night, after a 1997 season where he led the Bruins in ERA.
He had a rough time during the fall and was lost among all the
young pitchers in the Bruin staff.
Offensively, UCLA (18-23) also exploded. The Bruins smashed six
four-baggers from the hapless Vulcan pitchers.
The first homer was a grand slam by senior right fielder Eric
Byrnes (who also hit another one later in the game to give him
seven for the season) and the last was hit by Eric Reece – his
first homer of the season.
In the seven-run fourth inning the Bruins went
back-to-back-to-back for the first time this season when Valent,
freshman outfielder Bill Scott and freshman catcher Forrest Johnson
all teed off on Russell Ricafort’s pitches.
"I was real pumped and happy to be in that situation," Johnson
said. "I was also a little nervous, but I was just trying to hit
the ball solid, and it turned out pretty well."
Valent, a senior, was much more pleased with the pitching (which
dropped UCLA’s team ERA under 8.00 for the first time since early
in the season) than the team’s performance at the plate.
"I was glad to help the team win, but the story was Righetti,"
Valent said. "That was one of the best pitched games I’ve seen in a
long time. He was hitting the spots, and his curveball was
unbelievable tonight."
Asked if he felt like Atlanta ace Greg Maddux because of his
control, Righetti had a simple answer.
"I think I got a long way to go before that," Righetti said.
JAMIE SCANLON-JACOBS/Daily Bruin
Casey Cloud bunts the ball in a game played earlier this season.
The Bruins put up six home runs against Hawaii-Hilo Monday.