University Southern California Trojans
USC
UCLA
Baseball Loses A Tough One To UCLA, 8-5
April 09, 2000 | Baseball
April 9, 2000
LOS ANGELES -- The No. 24 UCLA baseball team held on to defeat No. 14 USC 8-5 Sunday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium in front of full house of 1,403 fans and in doing so, won two of the three-game weekend series and secured first place in the Pacific-10 Conference.
The Bruins improve their overall record to 22-13 and 7-2 in conference, while USC drops to 23-13 and 6-3 in league action. The last two UCLA victories vs. USC have been the first against a ranked opponent this season.
UCLA junior designated hitter Matt Pearl led the Bruins, going 2-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and four RBI. Junior second baseman Chase Utley continued his hot hitting vs. the Trojans, going 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Junior catcher Forrest Johnson was 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs and an RBI.
Bruin left-hander Bobby Roe (5-2) earned the victory, allowing 11 hits and four runs (three earned) through six innings. Roe retired a string of seven straight batters until the Trojans chased him in the top of the sixth with back-to-back hits.
Left-handed reliever Ryan Carter then came in and shut USC down, striking out the side and getting the Bruins out of the seventh inning jam. Carter picked up the save, allowing just two hits and one run through three innings. USC ace Mark Prior (7-3) suffered the defeat, allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits through seven innings.
USC got on the board first in the top of the second on a run-scoring single by center fielder Josh Self. The Bruins then rallied for four runs in the bottom of the second, beginning with a single and a double by Johnson and junior right fielder Nick Lyon respectively. Then Pearl grounded to short with runners in scoring position, only to have Seth Davidson send a high throw over the catcher's head which scored both runners.
Sophomore third baseman Randall Shelley then dropped a bloop double into shallow right field putting runners in scoring position once again, setting the stage for a two-run single by Utley to give UCLA a 4-1 advantage.
The Trojans tied the score with three in the third on a two-run home run by USC third baseman Justin Gemoll and a hit batter with the bases loaded. Then with just one out and the bases still loaded, Self hit a shot up the middle off Roe's glove which was picked up by Utley at second who turned the inning ending double play.
UCLA broke the tie in the bottom of the third with solo home runs by Johnson and Pearl, and added two additional insurance runs in the eighth with Pearl's second long ball of the day and an RBI single by Utley.
The Trojans made it a one-run ballgame in the top of the eighth when left fielder Brian Barre drove in Self with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Lyon made the defensive play of the day for the third out in the top of the fifth, robbing USC right fielder Joe Garibaldi of extra bases with a leaping catch against the 390 sign in right field. Lyon was then greeted by a standing ovation from teammates and fans as he entered the dugout.
Next up for the Bruins is a trip to UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday, April 11 at 2 p.m.
USC Trojans 013 000 010 5 13 1 UCLA Bruins 042 000 02x 8 10 1
WP - Bobby Roe (5-2). LP - Mark Prior (7-3). Save -
Ryan Carter (2)
2B - Anthony Lunetta, Justin Gemoll, Chase Utley,
Randall Shelley, Nick Lyon.
HR - Justin Gemoll (11), Johnson (14), Pearl 2 (2).
SH - Alberto Concepcion, Charles Merricks.
SF - Brian Barre
Start: 1:05 p.m. Time: 3:03 Attendance:
1,403
