Bruins Nation - 2015 NCAA Baseball Los Angeles Regional
Blog Of The Bruins, By The Bruins, For The Bruins
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2015-06-01T23:33:33-07:00
http://www.bruinsnation.com/rss/stream/8452258
2015-06-01T23:33:33-07:00
2015-06-01T23:33:33-07:00
No Joy In Westwood As Bruins Lose 2-1
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<p>The Bruins can't get their bats going and lose in the Regional Final 2-1 to the Terrapins.</p> <p>The Bruin bats that woke up all day yesterday to force tonight's winner-take-all game against Maryland were silenced tonight by Terrapin freshman Taylor Bloom.</p>
<p>Bloom threw six innings while allowing only one run, one hit and one walk to earn the victory for the Terps.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Bruins pitched well. Grant Dyer started for the first time since his freshman season and threw four innings giving up one run on three hits and a walk before being relieved by UCLA ace James Kaprielian.</p>
<p>Kap gave up one run on two hits and a walk over two innings of work. Bruin closer David Berg threw two innings of shutout ball.</p>
<p>But, in the end, this game will be remembered by Bruin fans for a controversial play at the plate.</p>
<p>In the top of the third inning, with catcher Darrell Miller, Jr. on third base, Trent Chatterton flew out to center. Miller tagged on the play and, quite literally, ran into Terrapins catcher Kevin Martir who appeared from every angle to be blocking home plate without the ball.</p>
<p>On the replay, it looked like Martir's tag was high and that Miller's foot got in ahead of the tag, but with the home plate umpire positioned behind the catcher, he couldn't have possibly seen whether Martir tagged Miller before his foot got in between Martir's legs. It was the worst call on a night of bad calls for the Bruins.</p>
<p>The reality is that the Maryland combo of Bloom and closer Kevin Mooney pitched well enough to hold UCLA to just three hits all night and you can't expect to win when your team batting average is .096 for the game.</p>
<p>The loss ends the season for the Bruins who had earned their first #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament which doesn't really matter at this point for there is no joy in Westwood as the Mighty Bruins lost.</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_baseball/2015/6/1/8704007/ncaa-regionals-bruins-terrapins-no-joy-in-westwood-as-ucla-baseball-falls-to-maryland-2-1
Joe Piechowski
2015-06-01T17:00:03-07:00
2015-06-01T17:00:03-07:00
UCLA Baseball and Maryland Fight for L.A. Regional
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<figcaption>Will Grant Dyer get the start tonight for the Bruins? | © Steve Jacobs 2015</figcaption>
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<p>UCLA fought hard to win two games yesterday, forcing the deciding contest tonight between the Bruins and the Terrapins.</p> <p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Yesterday, the UCLA Bruins baseball team beat the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners, 9-1, and then took care of business against the Maryland Terrapins in the nightcap, 4-2. In doing so, UCLA has forced a deciding game for the L.A. Regional between the Bruins and the Terps tonight at Jackie Robinson Stadium. First pitch is at 8:00 p.m. PT.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">UCLA finally got their bats in gear yesterday after an underwhelming, five hit performance against Maryland in a loss on Saturday night. The Bruins combined for 26 hits yesterday in two games, led by Daryl Miller, Jr. who went 5-7 in the two contests. UCLA will need to continue hitting tonight if they are to move on to host a Super Regional next weekend against the Virginia Cavaliers.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The real question, however, is who will pitch for the teams tonight?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cody Poteet (who started against Bakersfield yesterday), Hunter Virant (who started against Maryland yesterday), and Grant Watson (who started against Maryland on Saturday) seem to be the only pitchers who would be unavailable to UCLA’s Head Coach, John Savage. Might James Kaprielian, who threw 93 pitches on Friday night, get the start on three days’ rest? Kap is used to getting a full week of rest, so there would be a lot of uncertainty there.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Having Kaprielian available to pitch at least a few innings today might have entered into Coach Savage’s mind in his decision to start Kap on Friday against Bakersfield, rather than saving him for the winner of Maryland v. Ole Miss on Saturday. Or maybe I am reading too much into this and Coach Savage simply did not want to break up the usual Friday, Saturday, and Sunday starters. Would pitching Kap today affect his potential availability on Friday if the Bruins advance? Does this even enter into Coach Savage’s mind? There is so much uncertainty going into a 5<sup>th</sup> game of a weekend in a season where most series last 3 games.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My gut tells me that Grant Dyer will get the start for UCLA today. Dyer has gone as many as five innings in relief this season, so it would not be completely unexpected if he were to take the hill to start things off. Thankfully, UCLA has a deep staff to be competitive on a Monday out of the loser’s bracket (unlike, for example, Radford, who is lost 21-0 (!) against Vandy today).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maryland also faces uncertainty at pitcher. Can their ace, Mike Shawaryn (13-2, 1.66 ERA) go on three days’ rest? Does Maryland have an effective left-hander who is available to counter the lefties in UCLA’s lineup? Will they use a committee approach?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First pitch is at 8:00 p.m., PT. The game will be televised on ESPNU. John Ramey and Tim Wilhelm will have the call for all of UCLA’s games <a href="http://www.uclabruins.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?type=live&db_oem_id=30500">via online streaming audio</a>. Live stats are available via the <a href="http://www.ncaa.com/game/baseball/d1/2015/06/01/maryland-ucla?DB_OEM_ID=30500">NCAA website</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is your UCLA v. Maryland Los Angeles Regional Final Open Thread.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Go Bruins!!!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_baseball/2015/6/1/8701853/ncaa-baseball-regional-ucla-bruins-battle-maryland-terrapins
orlandobruin
2015-06-01T00:21:39-07:00
2015-06-01T00:21:39-07:00
UCLA Takes Two; Forces Deciding Game Monday Night
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<figcaption><a href='https://twitter.com/UCLABaseball/status/605230256887345153'>@UCLABaseball</a></figcaption>
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<p>Facing possible elimination, the UCLA Bruins did exactly what they needed to on Sunday. First, they defeated Cal State Bakersfield and, then, they beat Maryland to force a deciding game on Monday night in the Los Angeles Regional.</p> <p>It was a long day for the Bruins at Jackie Robinson Stadium today.</p>
<p>After losing to Maryland last night, they dropped into the loser's bracket and had to defeat Cal State Bakersfield this afternoon to get another crack at the Maryland Terrapins. After a gutsy performance by Cody Poteet and some late inning insurance runs, the Bruins did just that.</p>
<p>The Bruins took care of business in the nitecap as well.</p>
<p>They scored first in the bottom of the first when Luke Persico singled through the left side scoring Kevin Kramer who started the inning with a single of his own and the Bruins led 1-0 after one inning.</p>
<p>Darrell Miller, Jr. started the second inning with a single to center and eventually scored when Kevin Kramer singled through the right side, giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead.</p>
<p>Maryland centerfielder LaMonte Wade homered in the top of the third to cut the Terrapins' deficit in half to a 2-1 score.</p>
<p>But the Bruins came right back in the bottom of the inning. This time, it was Ty Moore scoring on a Kort Peterson single to give UCLA a 3-1 edge. That would prove to be the game winning RBI for Peterson even though Maryland would close the gap to 3-2 when Tim Lewis scored on Kevin Smith's ground out to UCLA reliever Jake Bird.</p>
<p>UCLA added some insurance in the seventh inning after Ty Moore doubled to center and stole third base scoring after the throw from Maryland catcher Kevin Martir to third baseman Jose Cuas went into left field on the play. That would prove to be more than enough as the UCLA bullpen held the Terrapins to 5 innings of shutout baseball.</p>
<p>Tucker Forbes earned the victory for his 1-2/3 innings of scoreless relief while Maryland's Ryan Selmer took the loss. David Berg earned his 13th save of the season.</p>
<p>Because the NCAA Baseball Tournament is a double-elimination tournament, these teams will meet again in the deciding game of the Los Angeles Regional tonight at 8pm PT. Exactly who will take the mound for either team is anyone's guess.</p>
<p>Will UCLA Coach John Savage bring back his ace James Kaprielian on very short rest after he pitched on Friday night or will he instead turn to a reliever like Grant Dyer who has thrown just 19 pitches so far this weekend (11 Friday against Bakersfield and another 8 in Sunday's game against Bakersfield)?</p>
<p>At this point, I think you've got to think that either one is possible, but one thing is for sure: Look for Savage to have a quick hook for whomever he sends out to the mound if it looks like they aren't pitching well.</p>
<p>Go Bruins!!!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_baseball/2015/6/1/8696463/ncaa-baseball-regionals-UCLA-Bruins-takes-two-force-deciding-game-monday-night-vs-Maryland-Terrapins
Joe Piechowski
2015-05-31T19:33:40-07:00
2015-05-31T19:33:40-07:00
Let's Play Two! Beat The Terps!
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<p>UCLA took care of business against Cal State Bakersfield this afternoon and now looks to keep their Super Regional hopes alive by beating the Terps in the nitecap.</p> <p>Today's first game wasn't pretty. Kevin Kramer started it off with a homer to start the game to give UCLA a 1-0 lead and Cody Poteet pitched 5-1/3 scoreless, but shaky innings as the Bruins clung to that slim lead.</p>
<p>Grant Dyer came in to relieve Poteet and managed to keep the Roadrunners scoreless.</p>
<p>The Bruins broke the game open in the top of the 7th. Darrell Miller, Jr. singled to start the inning and the Bruins played small ball to get him in on a fielding error by CSU Bakerfield's shortstop Mylz Jones to give UCLA a 2-0 lead. Ty Moore then took Steven Gee deep to right for a 3-run home run making 5-0 UCLA.</p>
<p>A single by Luke Persico and a double by Chris Keck added one more to make it 6-0 Bruins.</p>
<p>Tucker Forbes pitches a scoreless 7th for the Bruins.</p>
<p>UCLA added three more insurance runs in the top of the eighth to make it 9-0.</p>
<p>Bakersfield was able to tack on one in the ninth, but that was all.</p>
<p>Hunter Virant will take the hill for the nitecap against the Terps.</p>
<p>This is your nitecap open thread.</p>
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<p>Go Bruins!!!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/2015/5/31/8695619/ucla-ncaa-regionals-lets-play-two-bruins-look-to-avenge-last-nights-loss
Joe Piechowski
2015-05-31T14:40:53-07:00
2015-05-31T14:40:53-07:00
UCLA Baseball vs. Bakersfield: Loser Goes Home
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<figcaption>Let's hope that there is cause for celebration in the UCLA dugout today | @UCLABaseball</figcaption>
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<p>The UCLA Bruins baseball team must win twice today to live another day.</p> <p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">UCLA Bruins baseball team (43-15) battles Cal State Bakersfield (37-23) tonight at 4:00 p.m. PT, in an elimination game. The winner will face Maryland immediately after, and the loser is done for the season. If Maryland loses the nightcap, the same two teams will play tomorrow for the right to move on to the Super Regional.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So the Bruins need to win three straight.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It all starts with Bakersfield. UCLA beat them on Friday night, 7-2, largely based upon the services of its ace, James Kaprielian. UCLA will not have Kap at its disposal today, but instead faces uncertainly at pitcher. UCLA’s third (Sunday) starter has been a bit of an adventure all season. Cody Poteet started the year as UCLA’s third starter, and was relatively successful in the role. Midseason, however, Head Coach, John Savage, made Poteet the midweek starter to make way for Griffin Canning, a freshman, to start on Sundays. Canning pitched very well, until about a month ago against Arizona State, when he missed a start due to back spasms. Canning hasn’t pitched since. Instead, left-hander Hunter Virant has gotten the call on Sundays and, although he has not pitched poorly, he has not met the level of success previously established by Canning or even Poteet on Sundays.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So the question is: who gets the start against Bakersfield? Reason stands that it will either be Poteet or Virant. My gut tells me that Poteet will get the call as the more experienced pitcher and, if UCLA prevails, Virant would go against Maryland. Of course, in the event that UCLA wins both games today, who would start tomorrow? UCLA is blessed with a very deep pitching staff and if any team is equipped to get through this gauntlet, it is the UCLA Bruins. Guys like Grant Dyer and David Berg can pitch four or five innings in a pinch, if needed.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is all going to be a moot point if UCLA cannot awaken its bats, which went ice cold last night against Maryland’s pitching staff. The Bruins only managed five hits, and no UCLA batter reached base after the fifth inning.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nick Rogowski (4-5, 4.45 ERA) figures to get the start for the Roadrunners. In his last start, Rogowski went 2 and 2/3 innings, conceding six runs (2 earned) on five hits against Chicago State. Another potential option for Bakersfield is Steven Gee (5-3, 2.66 ERA).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Bakersfield game is on <a href="http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index">ESPN3</a>, John Ramey and Tim Wilhelm will have the call via <a href="http://www.uclabruins.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?type=live&db_oem_id=30500">online audio stream</a>, and live statistics are also available at the <a href="http://www.ncaa.com/game/baseball/d1/2015/05/31/ucla-bakersfield">NCAA website</a>. The late game will be televised on ESPNU.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is put up or shut up time for UCLA. The Bruins have much more talent than the Roadrunners, but so did Ole Miss, and Bakersfield took them down yesterday, 2-1. All the pressure is on the Bruins as the number one seed in the entire tournament. It seemed that, when they went down yesterday, the Bruins let that pressure get to them and it took them out of their usual hitting approach at the plate. UCLA cannot get taken out of its game today. Bakersfield will be very loose and has nothing to lose in its first ever postseason appearance. Hopefully the Bruins can take care of business against Bakersfield and then see what happens against the Maryland Terrapins tonight.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is your UCLA Bruins vs. Bakersfield (and beyond?) open thread.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Go Bruins!!!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_baseball/2015/5/31/8694899/ucla-baseball-vs-bakersfield-loser-goes-home-winner-gets-maryland
orlandobruin
2015-05-31T09:07:20-07:00
2015-05-31T09:07:20-07:00
UCLA Seeks to Stave Off Elimination
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<img alt="Kevin Kramer (pictured) and the UCLA Bruins need to get their bats going to have a chance to advance to the Super Regional" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QqrqN9WnxsQ23xvbrxCz_UTowp0=/75x0:525x300/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46437354/CFz3RgbWoAAcx4f.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kevin Kramer (pictured) and the UCLA Bruins need to get their bats going to have a chance to advance to the Super Regional | @UCLABaseball</figcaption>
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<p>UCLA could only muster one run on five hits in a 4-1 loss to the Terps.</p> <p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The UCLA Bruins baseball team (43-15) suffered a major setback in their quest to return to the College World Series, dropping their contest last night to the Maryland Terrapins, 4-1. In order to advance to the Super Regional, UCLA would need to beat Cal State Bakersfield today (at 4 p.m. PT), then beat Maryland in a second game today, and then beat Maryland again tomorrow. This is a tall task, but it is not outside the realm of possibility.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If UCLA is to have a chance to move on, it will need to get better offense of production out of its lineup. The Bruins only scratched out five hits last night, and was not able to even get a runner on base in its last 14 at bats. The Bruins never looked comfortable at the plate all night long, and its left-handed batters repeatedly tried to pull pitches that they should have been trying to spray to the opposite field. This resulted in multiple week ground balls to the right side of the infield.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Bruins struck first in the top of the first inning, on the strength of a Kevin Kramer single, a Ty Moore hit by pitch, a Luke Persico single, and a Chris Keck sacrifice fly. Keck, for the record, did not appear to be his usual self and, as confirmed by Head Coach John Savage, was suffering from a bit of stomach flu.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">UCLA had a chance do more damage in the second inning, as Christoph Bono doubled with two outs. Brett Stephens singled up the middle, but the Maryland center-fielder, LaMonte Wade, gunned Bono down at the plate for the third out on a beautiful throw and a great job by the catcher to block the plate. Wade has shown his defensive skills in the LA regional, robbing Ole Miss of a home run in the opening game. It was a bang-bang play, and Bono might have gotten his toe on the plate through the catcher’s legs, but the call went in Maryland’s favor. Bono could have put the Bruins up, 2-0, which might’ve changed complexion of the game.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maryland scored its four runs early, with two in the second and two in the third. In the second inning, with two runners on and two outs, Tim Lewis hit a bloop fly ball down the left-field line, just past the outstretched glove of Bruin leftfielder, Brett Stephens, who was attempting to make a diving catch. Both runners scored and Lewis ended up on third with a “Texas League” triple. Again, if Stephens makes that play, no runs score and it may have changed the entire complexion of the game.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the bottom of the third inning (Maryland was the designated “home” team last night), UCLA starter, Grant Watson, surrendered a leadoff home run to Wade (the guy has skills with the bat as well), to extend Maryland’s lead to 3-1. Kevin Smith then doubled, moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a ground ball to second base, making the score 4-1, Terps.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Watson, who took the loss, settled down after that and did not concede any more runs in his 6 and 2/3 innings. Tucker Forbes came in and pitched well in 1 and 1/3 innings, striking out three, but the damage was already done and UCLA could not get its bats going in the late innings. The Bruins’ last baserunner was courtesy of a one-out single by Ty Moore in the fifth inning.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maryland’s bullpen did a great impression of UCLA’s bullpen, shutting down the Bruins in the late innings, as UCLA fans so often witnessed from UCLA’s bullpen this season in the form of Forbes, Grant Dyer, and Dave Berg. Robert Galligan, who pitched 4 and 1/3 innings for Maryland, got the win, surrendering only the aforementioned Ty Moore single and a walk during his outing. Maryland’s star closer, Kevin Mooney, came in to pitch a perfect ninth inning, striking out Darrell Miller, Jr. looking and Kort Peterson looking, before inducing Trent Chatterton to fly out to right to end the game.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Moving forward, starting at 4 p.m., PT, today, UCLA needs to rebound against the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners in order to earn its chance to try to take two games from Maryland. Griffin Canning is apparently unavailable, so the Bruins will look to either Cody Poteet or Hunter Virant to take the mound. Check back later today for the UCLA versus Cal State Bakersfield preview and open thread for all of the day’s L.A. Regional action.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Go Bruins!!!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_baseball/2015/5/31/8694175/ucla-falls-to-maryland-must-win-3-straight-to-advance
orlandobruin
2015-05-30T16:16:38-07:00
2015-05-30T16:16:38-07:00
UCLA Baseball versus Maryland Terrapins Tonight
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<img alt="UCLA's Grant Watson looks to baffle the Maryland Terrapin batters tonight." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QR3vNQgmpx3SL00hLJt_fiOaEdk=/170x1142:2338x2587/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46435202/Watty_2.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>UCLA's Grant Watson looks to baffle the Maryland Terrapin batters tonight. | © Steve Jacobs 2015</figcaption>
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<p>The winner will have the clear advantage to advance to the Super Regional.</p> <p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The UCLA Bruins baseball team (43-14), fresh off its 7-2 victory over the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners, squares off against the Maryland Terrapins (40-21) tonight at 8:00 p.m. PT, in a battle of the #1 and #2 seeds in the Los Angeles Regional. The Terps outlasted the Ole Miss Rebels yesterday, 3-1. The winner of tonight’s game will have the inside track to win the Regional, and the loser will face the winner of today’s matchup between Bakersfield and Ole Miss, in what will be an elimination game. You can read about the Bruins’ win over the road runners last night <a href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_baseball/2015/5/30/8690927/kaprielian-pitches-ucla-baseball-past-cal-state-bakersfield-los-angeles-regional">here</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In its victory, Maryland got a strong outing from its ace, Mike Shawaryn, who pitched 5 and 1/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits. Shawaryn raised his record to a stellar 13-2 this season. The Terps put a two spot on the board in the top of the 1<sup>st</sup> inning, the result of three straight doubles and another single. Thereafter, each team was only able to scratch out a single run for the remainder of the game, resulting in the final 3-1 tally. Maryland was helped by the glove of its centerfielder, LaMonte Wade, who in the 8<sup>th</sup> inning made a dazzling play, robbing Ole Miss of a home run, which would have narrowed the margin to 3-2, and potentially rallied the Rebels to victory. You can read more about the Maryland Terrapin’s baseball team in <a href="http://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_baseball/2015/5/29/8689835/la-regional-starts-tonight-ucla-takes-on-bakersfield">BN's L.A. Regional preview</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">UCLA is expected to throw senior, left-hander, Grant Watson (8-4, 2.08 ERA), against the Terps. Watty has extensive postseason experience, due to the Bruins' National Championship in 2013. He also matches up well against Maryland’s lineup, which features multiple left-handed hitters. Will Maryland sits some of its usual, more experienced left-handed starters and instead go with more right-handed bats? Watson can be very tough on left-handed hitters, but you want your most experienced guys out there in the big games, right? This is a very intriguing situation and I am eager to see how Maryland will play it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I expect to see Maryland throw freshman, right-hander, Brain Shaffer (5-1, 4.73 ERA). Although Shaffer is a freshman and has no postseason experience, he shut down the University of Illinois in his last outing, snapping the Fighting Illini’s 27-game winning streak. It will be interesting to see how Shaffer reacts to spotlight of the postseason, on the road, on the left coast. The Bruins will, of course, look to get runners on early in the game and keep Shaffer off balance by putting pressure on him and his teammates on the base paths. This strategy has served the Bruins well over the years in the postseason, as well as against Bakersfield last night.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First pitch is at 8:00 p.m., PT. UCLA is technically the "road" team tonight, so the Bruins will don their road greys, the best uniform in all of baseball. The game will be televised on ESPNU. John Ramey and Tim Wilhelm will have the call <a href="http://www.uclabruins.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?type=live&db_oem_id=30500">via online streaming audio</a>. Live stats are available <a href="http://www.ncaa.com/scoreboard/baseball/d1/2015/05/29">via the NCAA website</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is your UCLA v. Maryland Los Angeles Regional, Game 4 Open Thread.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Go Bruins!!!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_baseball/2015/5/30/8692451/ucla-bruins-battles-maryland-terrapins-tonight-at-jrs-in-the-ncaa-baseball-los-angeles-regional
orlandobruin
2015-05-30T07:43:25-07:00
2015-05-30T07:43:25-07:00
Kaprielian Pitches UCLA Past Cal State Bakersfield
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<figcaption><a href='https://twitter.com/UCLABaseball'>@UCLABaseball</a></figcaption>
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<p>UCLA's ace keeps the Roadrunners in check during UCLA's opening game in the Los Angeles Regional while the offense scores in six straight innings to defeat CSU Bakersfield 7-2.</p> <p>UCLA Head Coach John Savage sent his ace James Kaprielian to the hill last night against Cal State Bakersfield and Kaprielian delivered.</p>
<p>He threw 93 pitches over 7 innings while holding the Roadrunners to 5 hits, 1 walk and 2 runs to earn the victory in the Bruins' opening game of the Los Angeles Regional at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Grant Dyer pitched a perfect 8th inning and David Berg struck out the side in the 9th to close out the game.</p>
<p>Bakersfield got on the board first in the second inning. Ryan Grotjohn walked with two outs for the Roadrunners. Chance Gusbeth singled to right to move Grotjohn to second and gave Bakersfield two on with two out. Catcher Logan Trowbridge singled to center to drive in Grotjohn, but Gusbeth got caught in a rundown between second and third to end the inning.</p>
<p>The Bruins got their offense started in the third following a Kevin Kramer double. Ty Moore's ground out to second moved Kramer over to third and a Luke Persico single drove him in to tie the score at 1-1.</p>
<p>UCLA proceed to score in each of the next five innings.</p>
<p>The Bruins played really small ball in the fourth after Kort Peterson was hit by a pitch. Trent Chatterton advanced Peterson to second with a sacrifice bunt. Cal State pitcher James Barragan fielded Chatterton's bunt but then his throw hit him in the back allowing Peterson to move to third.</p>
<p>Christoph Bono got in on "Buntfest 2015" with a bunt single that drove in Peterson and moved Chatterton to second.</p>
<p>Kevin Kramer's single through the right side scored Chatterton giving the Bruins a 3-1 lead after four innings.</p>
<p>Kaprielian shut down the Roadrunners until the seventh inning when he allowed another run. Meanwhile, UCLA added runs in each of their remaining at-bats to make the score 7-2 after eight innings.</p>
<p>If you've followed UCLA baseball this season, you know that means the game was over because once John Savage went to the bullpen, it was lights out and it was no different Friday night as neither Dyer or Berg allowed anyone from Bakersfield to reach base in the final two innings.</p>
<p>Kaprielian earned the win for UCLA while Barragan took the loss.</p>
<p>Earlier in the day, the Maryland Terrapins edged Ole Miss by a score of 3-1 at JRS. The win advances the Terps into the Winner's bracket and drops the Rebels into the Loser's bracket.</p>
<p>Later today, Ole Miss will take on Cal State Bakersfield in an elimination game at 4pm PT while UCLA will take on Maryland in the nightcap at approximately 8pm PT. Look for usual Saturday starter Grant Watson to take the mound for UCLA and check back later for our UCLA-Maryland preview and open thread.</p>
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<p>Go Bruins!!!</p>
https://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_baseball/2015/5/30/8690927/kaprielian-pitches-ucla-baseball-past-cal-state-bakersfield-los-angeles-regional
Joe Piechowski