Bruins Seek Series Win Against Southern Cal

The UCLA men’s baseball team (24-6, 11-2 PAC 12) took game one of a three-game series against the Southern Cal Trogans (25-8, 7-3 PAC 12), at U$c*’s Dedeaux Field yesterday afternoon, by a score of 9-3. The Bruins got off to a hot start, when Ty Moore launched a three-run bomb over the right-field fence in the top of the first inning, giving the Bruins an early 3-0 lead. It was a lead they would never relinquish. Both teams scored two runs in the third inning, and neither team scored any runs in the middle three innings. In the top of the seventh, UCLA’s Christoph Bono drove a first pitch fastball over the right-field wall to score three more UCLA runs, giving the Bruins an 8-2 lead.

That was more than enough for UCLA’s relievers, Tucker Forbes, Grant Dyer, and Dave Berg, who pitched the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, respectively. Although Forbes gave up a run, Dyer and Berg pitched scoreless innings. Just$C* fans were streaming out the stadium in the eighth; I guess they didn’t want to see Dave Berg’s nastiness. Oh well, their loss.

UCLA added an insurance run in the ninth on an error, a Christoph Bono double to left, a Trent Chatterton walk, and a Kevin Kramer sacrifice fly. Christoph Bono was UCLA’s offense of star out of the eight hole, driving in four runs, although the Bruins got very solid production throughout their lineup.

UCLA starter, James Kaprielian, pitched six innings of two run ball, striking out six, to raise his record to 7-2 on the season. Kap leads the PAC 12 in wins.

The Bruins maintained first place in the PAC 12 Conference, while Southern Cal slipped to third, behind the Arizona State Sun Devils. The Trogans will look to even the series tonight, behind junior left-hander, Kyle Twomey (5-1, 2.50 ERA). The Bruins will trot out senior left-hander, Grant Watson (5-2, 1.53 ERA), looking to secure the series win.

It should be a great match up. UCLA will look to continue their consistent hitting and pitching. Southern Cal will look to cash in on some of their hits, unlike yesterday afternoon, where eleven Trogan hits only resulted in three runs due, in part, to two double plays turned by UCLA.

Maybe the best thing about yesterday's game is a new entry into the Bruins Nation lexicon.  It is perfect.  All credit goes to the UCLA audio broadcasting crew, and 77Bruinlaw for pointing it on yesterday's thread.  The monotonous dirge that just$c*'s "band" plays over and over again, something called "Conquest," I guess, was described as akin to a "dog whistle." Priceless.

First pitch is at 7:30 PM PT, and the game will be televised on the PAC 12 Network. You can follow James Ramey and Tim Wilhelm via online audio stream. Some folks were able to follow the game yesterday via live stats on the CBSSports Network, but yesterday's link goes to yesterday's game and I was unable locate a link for today's game. So you are on your own if you want live stats.

This is your UCLA vs. Southern Cal Game Two open thread.