Tuesday night’s game was another competitive contest between the UCLA baseball team and a ranked opponent.
But just like recent games, it ended in another loss.
After winning the first two games of the season, the Bruins (2-7) have dropped seven consecutive contests, the latest by a 5-4 score to No. 12 Pepperdine on Tuesday at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
“We’ve lost a lot of close ball games,” coach John Savage said. “Guys are playing hard and working hard. We’ve just got to find ways to win.”
During the seven-game losing streak, the Bruins have lost two extra-inning games in addition to a pair of one-run games. The last four losses have come against teams ranked in the top 12 of the Baseball America poll.
The game was knotted at 4-4 heading into the ninth inning before UCLA freshman closer Trevor Bauer ran into trouble. After retiring the first batter he faced, Bauer threw a full count pitch that Waves’ third baseman Colin Rooney launched over the left-center field fence, giving Pepperdine (6-2) a one-run advantage.
“Bauer is a guy that has run into some tough luck,” Savage said, referring to his pitcher’s 0-3 record. “He’s throwing the ball well, but unfortunately he gave up one long ball, and it beat us.”
While the ball sailed in the air, redshirt freshman outfielder Marc Navarro scaled the wall near the 370-foot sign to try and keep the game tied. But the ball soared well over his outstretched glove.
“It was a 3-2 fastball,” Savage said. “You’ve got to give Rooney a lot of credit. Bauer left it over the plate and the guy hit it out of the ballpark. That’s baseball.”
Pepperdine closer Nick Gaudi eliminated any chance of a Bruin rally, striking out all three batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth.
“We had our opportunities in the ninth,” Savage said. “It wasn’t one pitch, that’s for sure.”
Despite the loss, Savage emphasized that his team is not playing like a team that has lost seven straight.
“We came up with a couple of clutch hits tonight,” he said. “Matt Grace, again, I thought threw the ball well.”
Prior to Tuesday’s start, Grace had bounced back from one ineffective start. The sophomore left-hander gave up six runs over 4 1/3 innings in a loss at UC Santa Barbara, but followed that performance by allowing one earned run in 2 1/3 innings at the Houston College Classic last weekend. Grace gave up one run in 3 2/3 innings Tuesday.
Heading into the game, UCLA was leaving an average of more than 10 runners on base per game. Senior second baseman Eddie Murray cashed in with runners on first and second in the fourth inning, clearing the bases with a double that gave the Bruins a 3-1 lead.
“We were trying to stay short to the ball and jump on fastballs early,” Murray said. “We played hard; some things just didn’t go our way.”
The Waves managed to load the bases in the following inning, forcing Savage to visit with his pitcher, senior right-hander Jason Novak. Following the brief deliberation, Rooney lined a two-run single into the outfield on the first pitch he saw to tie the score at 3-3.
“We’ve got a good team and good players,” Savage said. “We have a lot of confidence in our players. It’s better to have a little adversity now than later.”