Box Score
LOS ANGELES, Calif.- Sophomore right-hander Josh Karp was perfect through the
first five innings and allowed just three hits through seven and a third to pick
up his seventh straight victory, as the UCLA baseball team defeated Arizona 5-3
in the first game of a Pac-10 series at Jackie Robinson Stadium Saturday
afternoon.
UCLA has now won four straight games and seven of the last nine, improving to
32-22 overall and 14-5 in the Pac-10. Arizona falls to 22-26 overall, 7-12 in
league action.
Karp (9-1) retired the first 15 Wildcats to come to the plate over five innings,
including five via strikeout. He did not allow a base runner until Arizona
left-fielder Kenny Huff singled to lead off the sixth, but after striking out
second baseman Trevor Mote, got catcher Mike Meyer to ground into a double play
to end the inning.
A pitcher's duel between Karp and Arizona starter Ben Diggins ensued over the
first six innings. Diggins came out on fire, striking out five of the first
seven UCLA batters, including the first three. UCLA freshman designated hitter
Jim Hemming had the first hit off Diggins in the second inning, a solo home run
to right field to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
The Bruins were held without a hit until a two-out triple by junior second
baseman Chase Utley in the bottom of the fifth, who later scored on a single up
the middle by junior first baseman Garrett Atkins. After giving up his fifth
walk of the game and another single to sophomore third baseman Randall Shelley
in the sixth, Diggins was pulled at the conclusion of the inning. Diggins (9-4)
suffered the loss, allowing the two runs on four hits, while striking out 10.
UCLA extended its lead to 5-0 on a three-run home run by junior catcher Forrest
Johnson in the seventh off Arizona reliever Tony Milo, his 20th long ball of the
season. But Arizona eventually avoided the shutout, scoring three runs in the
top of the eighth. After a walk and a hit batter by Karp, Mote singled through
the left side of the infield to score third baseman Erik Torres.
Karp then loaded the bases with a walk to Meyer, and the Bruins went to junior
left-hander Ryan Carter who surrendered back-to-back singles by center fielder
Troy Gingrich and shortstop Keoni DeRenne as Arizona made it a two-run ballgame.
But with the bases still loaded, Carter got pinch-hitter Matt Abram to foul out
to Atkins at first base and struck out Arizona's clean-up batter Ernie Durazo to
end the inning.
Carter picked up his fourth save of the season for the Bruins. Johnson and
Atkins both extended their season-high hitting streaks to 14 games, while
Arizona's Gingrich extended his hit streak to 16 games. With Utley's strikeout
in the first inning, his streak of eighth consecutive hits was snapped dating
back to last Sunday's game vs. Cal.
With Johnson's home run, the Bruins become the first team in the NCAA this
season to have two players with 20 home runs, as junior left-fielder Bill Scott
has 21 on the year.
The series with Arizona continues tomorrow at Jackie Robinson Stadium, with the
first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. Junior left-hander Rob Henkel is the probable
for UCLA, while senior left-hander Rob Shabansky will take the mound for the
Wildcats. UCLA utility man Aldo Pinto will be honored before the game as a part
of Senior Day festivities tomorrow as well.
Arizona 000 000 030 3 5 0
UCLA 010 010 30x 5 5 0
WP - Josh Karp (9-1). LP - Ben Diggins (9-4). Save - Ryan Carter (4).
2B - Rob Shabansky. 3B - Chase Utley
HR - Forrest Johnson (20); Jim Hemming (5).
SB - Chase Utley; Freddie Mitchell.
Start: 1:09 p.m. Time: 2:36 Attendance: 581
