UCLA
Bradley
Baseball Completes Sweep of Bradley With 12-4 Victory
March 12, 2000 | Baseball
March 12, 2000
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Junior catcher Forrest Johnson had a career day with the bat, going 5-for-5 with two doubles, a three-run home run, three runs scored and seven runs batted in to lead the UCLA baseball team over Bradley 12-4 in front of 397 at Jackie Robinson Stadium Sunday afternoon.
With the victory, the Bruins complete the three-game sweep of the Braves in the first ever meeting between these two teams. UCLA improves to 10-10 overall, while Bradley falls to 4-5 overall.
Junior left-hander Bobby Roe (2-2) got the starting nod on the hill for UCLA and pitched eight innings, allowing just five hits and four runs (three earned) while striking out eight to earn the victory. Bradley starter Craig Hawkins (1-1) only lasted 1.2 innings and allowed five runs, three earned, off five hits.
Johnson set career highs for hits (five), RBI (seven), and doubles (two), and was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. His three-run homer in the fifth inning gave the Bruins an 8-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth, while his bases clearing double in the sixth capped a four-run outburst to seal the victory.
Bradley took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI base hit by designated hitter Matt Gecan before catcher Corey Jager scored on a wild pitch by Roe. Bradley shortstop Brian Brown ended the inning striking out looking, the first of 12 consecutive batters retired by Roe. Bradley third baseman Jason Morelock broke the string with a one-out basehit in fifth, only to have center fielder Steve Strickler hit into a six-four-three double play. Roe then retired the next seven batters before Morelock singled once again in the eighth.
UCLA bats were hot from the get-go, as the Bruins took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the first. Junior left fielder Bill Scott hit a bases loaded sacrifice fly to right, before Johnson doubled in junior second baseman Chase Utley. Junior right fielder Nick Lyon followed with a sacrifice foul out and junior designated hitter Ryan Hamill drove in the fourth run with an RBI single.
The Bruins extended their lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the second when Lyon was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. UCLA then added three runs in the fourth off Johnson's homer and four in the fifth off Johnson's bases loaded double and an RBI single by Lyon.
UCLA junior third baseman Garrett Atkins was 3-for-5 with four runs and Hamill was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI, while redshirt sophomore Freddie Mitchell had a pinch-hit single in the eighth. Junior left-hander Ryan Carter came in to pitch the top of the ninth and allowed a lead-off basehit to Gecan before striking out the side to end the game.
The Bruins remain at home this week and play host to San Diego State Tuesday, March 14 at 3 p.m. Harvard then comes to town for a three-game series March 17-18, Saturday March 18 being a double header at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
