University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Arizona St
Bruin Baseball Falls To Arizona State 18-3
April 23, 2000 | Baseball
April 22, 2000
Tempe, Ariz. - Junior Jeff Phelps had two homeruns and knocked in five runs as the third-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils defeated No. 19 UCLA 18-3 Saturday afternoon at Packard Stadium. ASU improves to 35-10 on the year, 11-4 in conference play while the Bruins drop to 25-18 overall, 8-4 in league action.
ASU is tied with Stanford at 11-4 for first place in the Pac-10 race with the Bruins just a game and a half back. USC is three games behind the leaders.
For the first time the three-game series, the Sun Devils jumped on the board first, scoring four unanswered runs in the bottom of the second inning. Second baseman Brooks Conrad led off the inning with a single to center field off of UCLA starter Bobby Roe. Designated hitter Jonah Martin was hit by a pitch, to put men on first and second.
Shortstop Brian Berger reached on an error by the second baseman which also scored Conrad and moved Martin to third. Martin scored on a groundout by Mel Stocker. Center fielder Jeff Duncan reached on an infield hit then proceeded to second on a throwing error by the second baseman. Berger scored on the error. Catcher Casey Myers doubled to right center field scoring Duncan.
Making his first career start was freshman Sun Devil Jered Liebeck (1-0) who pitched 5.1 strong innings to pick up the victory. Liebeck allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Junior Jason Fingers notched his first save on the year going 3.2 innings, allowing only one unearned run on five hits with three strikeouts.
Taking the loss for UCLA was starter Bobby Roe (5-4) who lasted 3.1 innings, allowing seven runs (only four earned) on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
For the Devils, Jeff Phelps went 3-for-6 with five RBI and two runs scored while Brooks Conrad went 4-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored. Mike Lopez notched four RBI with a 2-for-5 performance on the afternoon and hit his sixth homerun on the year.
For the Bruins, Garrett Atkins went 3-for-5 with an RBI while Forrest Johnson went 2-for-3 with two doubles. Bill Scott hit his 15th homerun on the season with a 1-for-4 day at the plate.
UCLA returns home to Jackie Robinson Stadium for two games to face San Diego, Monday, April 24 at 5 p.m. and Cal State Fullerton Tuesday, April 25. The Bruins then travel to Pullman, Wash. for their second straight Pac-10 weekend series on the road as the face Washington State Friday April 28-Sunday April 30.
