Tuesday, February 16, 1999
UCLA bears bittersweet weekend run
BASEBALL: Team was unable to leash McNeese, Northwestern State,
but saving grace lies in win against Rice
By Rocky Salmon
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The UCLA baseball team flew into Houston this past weekend
looking to move past .500 in the win-loss column and move up in the
rankings.
Things did not turn up so rosy for the Bruins, however, as they
came away with two heartbreaking losses and a murderous win over
No. 2 Rice.
On Friday UCLA sent Jon Brandt to the mound (3.20 ERA) against
McNeese State’s Graham Mazur (6.00 ERA).
The Cowboys got on the board first in the second inning when No.
7 hitter Doug Cormier nailed a home run over centerfield for a
three-run shot. The Cowboys would never relinquish the lead.
Although MSU would win 8-5, the bright spot in the game would be
Brandt’s power performance. From the opening pitch to the seventh
inning Brandt would strike out 17 batters. Through the seven
innings Brandt would only get four outs through conventional means.
To say Brandt was en fuego would be an understatement.
Saturday brought about the big game. The big showdown. No. 2
Rice Owls vs. the Wonders of Westwood. UCLA had been keyed into
this game since the start of the season and caught a break as
All-American pitcher Mario Ramos would be kept away from Bruin
bats.
Kenny Baugh took the mound in front of a record crowd of 1,813
fans at Rice’s home field.
Baugh would be shelled.
In the first inning alone UCLA would launch two home runs, one
by Bill Scott and one by Adam Berry. The second inning would be
even more murderous as Baugh would get torched for six more runs
before giving the ball up with two outs.
But only three of the 11 runners who scored were earned runs, as
two errors by Owl midfielders set up the outbursts.
On the opposite side of the mound, UCLA would send up Bobby Roe
against Rice’s murderers row. Roe would lock them down, giving up
only one run through six innings, helping UCLA win 14-6, giving
Rice its second loss on the year.
Sunday UCLA’s Demon struck again.
UCLA performed up to its excellence against Rice and in an
earlier series against No. 7 Georgia Tech, but against the smaller
team the Bruins have seemed to falter. And this time it was no
different.
Against Northwestern State, UCLA ace Ryan Carter got lit up for
five runs, including a four-run fifth inning that would seal the
Bruin’s fate.
Demon pitcher Harvey McIntyre would garner the win, pitching a
complete game in a 5-4 victory.
Today, the Bruins will venture back to Santa Barbara to battle
the Gauchos. The last meeting was rained out so this will be a good
midweek test for the Bruins to see if they can match the same
intensity they faced the Owls with, against the Gauchos. CHARLES
KUO/Daily Bruin
The Bruins beat No. 2 Rice this weekend, but lost to McNeese
State and Northwestern State.
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