Wednesday, January 28, 1998
Despite losses,
Bruins field a winner
UCLA is still a powerhouse,
By Al Chase
and should provide a good test for
the host Rainbows
Star-BulletinLoaded on offense. Ranked in both preseason polls. A 1997 College World Series participant. The No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, according to Collegiate Baseball. That's just a few ways to describe the UCLA Bruins, who arrived yesterday for a three-game, nonconference series with the University of Hawaii (5-1) at Rainbow Stadium.
OK. So the Bruins (1-0) suffered some losses from last year's team -- the starting rotation (Jim Parque, Tom Jacquez and Peter Zamora), closer Jake Meyer, shortstop and Pac-10 Player of the Year Troy Glaus and leadoff hitter and left fielder Jon Heinrichs.
Co-captains Eric Byrnes in right field and Eric Valent in center field are preseason All-American selections. They combined for 44 home runs and 151 RBIs in 1997.
Byrnes turned down a signing bonus with the Houston Astros, and Valent, a National Player of the Year candidate, hit .345 for Team USA last summer.
Tomorrow's starting pitcher, sophomore left-hander Rob Henkel, freshman shortstop Chase Utley (a No. 2 draft pick by Los Angeles) and Friday's starting pitcher, freshman right-hander Chad Cislak, participated in the Fall Team USA trials.
Two other freshmen are slated to start for Bruins coach Gary Adams. Garrett Atkins will be at third and Matt Pearl in left, although returnee Michael Hymes also will see duty in left.
Starting second baseman Nick Theodorou will miss the series while he recovers from a knee injury. Jack Santora will take Theodorou's place.
"It's tough to lose Glaus and Heinrichs and the pitchers," Adams said. "Pitching is a question mark. We have some talent there. It's just a question of when they will emerge."
UH coach Les Murakami will go with the same starting rotation. Randon Ho (1-0) starts tomorrow, followed by Dusty Bergman (1-0) and Troy Yoshimasu (1-0).
With left fielder Greg Millichap returning to California today to have a plate removed from his ankle, Murakami will use Jamie Aloy, Joe Whitsett or Brandon Martin in left. Aloy will play first if he's not in left.
The remainder of the lineup should be the same.
Murakami has been pleased with the efforts of Aloy, catcher Lars Hansen and third baseman Matt Wheeler.
Aloy has become a better hitter with two strikes by using the whole field. "He's become a tough out," Murakami said.
Wheeler also shows discipline at the plate with two strikes. "He's had some big hits," Murakami said. "It's a big difference when you get a junior college kid who has played so many games. He's a man already."
Hansen, who leads the regulars with a .538 average, is doing well behind the plate.
"He anticipates the ball in the dirt and has become more aggressive, playing the ball instead of letting the ball play him," Murakami said.
UH leads the series, 19-18, but the Bruins have won six of the last seven meetings.
"It's never been an easy series for either one of us except for last year when we didn't have pitching," Murakami said.
"It's good preparation for our team and I hope Les feels the same," Adams said.
Murakami and Adams have coached against each other since Adams' head coaching days at UC Irvine.
"I remember the first time Hawaii played us on the mainland (1974). Neither of us had any money in our budgets," Adams said. "Our players hosted the Hawaii players in their homes and I think Les and his wife stayed at our house."
Rainbow baseball
Thursday: UCLA at Hawaii, 6:05 p.m.
Rainbow Men Baseball Schedule
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
