By Scott Bair
Daily Bruin Reporter
The Bruin baseball team did not show respect for their elders on
Saturday. The baby Bruins beat up on their UCLA alumni predecessors
by a score of 7-0 in Saturday’s annual alumni game at Jackie
Robinson Stadium.
To make matters worse for the alumni, it was the youngest cubs
from the Bruin clan that did the most damage. The 2002 alumni game
was locked in a scoreless pitching duel through the first three
innings of play. Alumni pitchers Jon Brandt and Tim Leary shut out
the 2002 squad, allowing only two hits in three innings of dominant
pitching.
The fourth inning was a different story. The Bruin youngsters
opened the offensive floodgates, beginning with sophomore first
baseman Casey Janssen’s one-out, two run home run over the
wall in right field. Alumni pitcher Bobby Roe struck out senior
outfielder Adam Berry for the second out. Roe, who sported
knee-high pants with ankle socks, was going for a different look on
the field. Unfortunately, he could not keep the baseball from
leaving it.
Freshman designated hitter Wes Whisler drove a Roe offering that
went over the wall in the exact location as Janssen’s home
run, but far exceeded it in distance.
The other Bruins were impressed by Whisler’s power
demonstration, but were not to be left out of the offensive
free-for-all.
The 2002 Bruins registered four more hits and four more runs in
the inning, building a 7-0 lead that would eventually become the
final score. Despite the blowout, the large crowd did not leave
their seats in the hope of seeing some major leaguers hit.
The fans got exactly what they were looking for when Anaheim
Angel and all-star third baseman Troy Glaus stepped up to the plate
to face 18-year old freshman Kyle Wilson.
“It was a little bit intimidating. I tried not to think
about who I was facing, but nonetheless I was nervous out
there,” Wilson said.
Wilson put his nervousness aside when he blew a fastball right
by Glaus’ quick bat. Wilson worked the count with some
off-speed pitches and got Glaus to swing at a pitch out of the
strike zone. For the final strike, Wilson went back to what got him
the first strike ““ throwing heat. He threw the next pitch
right by Glaus for the third strike.
“It was exhilarating. It’s tough to put into words
what it felt like,” Wilson said.
The final score was only a small part of the experience. 2001
seniors Brian Baron, Josh Canales, Eric Reece, Matt Pearl, Brandt
and Roe played the game for the first time wearing a blue Alumni
jersey.
“It was a surreal experience to see the word
“˜Alumni’ written across my chest,” Canales
said.
Players stayed on the field for a long time after the game
exchanging war stories and catching up on old-times with head coach
Gary Adams, who relished in seeing players from 27 years of
coaching all in one place.
“This is my favorite day of the year, but don’t tell
my wife because she wants it to be my anniversary,” Adams
said.
Ңbull;Ӣbull;Ӣbull;
Adam Meluse finished second in the home run derby with three
long bombs. Who was the winner? It wasn’t 2000 AL Home Run
champion Troy Glaus or 2001 winner Eric Valent. The 2002 UCLA
Alumni Home Run Derby Champion is “¦ UCLA hitting coach Vince
Beringhele who hit four.