University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
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UCLA Baseball Comes From Behind To Defeat San Diego State 7-6
March 14, 2000 | Baseball
March 14, 2000
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Junior left fielder Bill Scott broke a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with an RBI single to left field, as the UCLA baseball team erased a five-run deficit to come back to defeat San Diego State 7-6 at Jackie Robinson Stadium Tuesday evening.
The Bruins have now won four straight games and improve their overall record to 11-10. San Diego State falls to 13-13 overall, but remains 2-1 in the Mountain West Conference.
UCLA junior reliever Ryan Carter picked up the victory, his first of the season. With the score knotted at six in the top of the seventh inning, Carter entered the game with one out and the go-ahead runners at second and third. The 6-7 left-hander worked his way out of the jam, striking out Aztec right fielder Paul Lockhart and after hitting the next batter to load the bases, got designated hitter Ben Leuthard to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Carter remained on the mound and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out five. Junior right-hander Paul Diaz made his first start of the season but only lasted 2.2 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on four hits. UCLA freshman left-hander Mike Kunes relieved Diaz and pitched 3.2 shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four. Aztec reliever Royce Ring suffered the loss.
San Diego State took an early 6-1 lead early in the game, thanks in part to a three-run home run just barely inside the left field foul pole by Leuthard in the third inning. The Bruins chipped away at the deficit with two runs in the third. Junior shortstop Josh Canales singled to lead off the inning and a single by junior third baseman Randall Shelley moved Canales to third. Scott followed with a fly ball double off the wall in right center, driving in Canales and advancing Shelley to third who later scored on a wild pitch.
UCLA added a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Shelley and two more in the sixth to tie the game. With runners on first and third, Canales laid down a perfect bunt single inside the third base line to score junior right fielder Nick Lyon. Ring then was brought in to relieve Aztec hurler Chris Dunwell, who promptly walked UCLA junior second baseman Chase Utley to load the bases.
The Bruins tied the score at six when Shelley was then hit by a pitch. Scott ended the inning by striking out swinging, stranding three Bruins on the basepaths. But Scott redeemed himself in the bottom of the eighth with the game-winning hit. Canales was hit by a pitch to lead-off the eighth and Utley doubled to right field. Shelley then lined out to the shortstop before Scott drove in Canales from third.
Carter then struck out the side in the top of the ninth to seal the victory for the Bruins. Canales proved to be the offensive spark plug for UCLA, as he reached base in allfive at-bats in the lead-off spot. The transfer from Florida was 3-for-3 with four runs scored, one RBI and one walk.
Utley finished the game 3-for-4, extending his current hitting streak to 11 games. Shelley was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI and Scott was 2-for-5 with three RBI.
The Bruins remain at Jackie Robinson Stadium this weekend, playing host to Harvard for a three-game series. Game one will be played at 5 p.m. Friday, March 17, before a scheduled doubleheader Saturday, March 18 beginning at 1 p.m.
