Ranked Teams Prevail On Day 1 Of Whataburger College Classic
March 13, 2010 - Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - The unbeaten and 15th ranked UCLA Bruins and the No. 25 Oklahoma Sooners both emerged with victories Friday to open the Fifth Annual Whataburger College Classic.
Sophomore hurler Gerrit Cole notched a career-high 15 strikeouts to lead UCLA to an 11-3 triumph over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the evening tilt. Cole (4-0) allowed just two runs, one earned, on five hits and a pair of walks over 7.2 innings. He fanned seven straight at one point, part of a string of 12 in a row retired from the fourth inning to the eighth.
The 15 strikeouts broke his previous career best of 13, set last season. It also marked the first time that a UCLA pitcher achieved 15 punch-outs in a game since 2006, when David Huff accomplished the feat against Pacific.
Sophomore second baseman Tyler Rahmatulla led the Bruin offense, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs. His two-run home run to center in the top of the first staked UCLA (11-0) to a 2-0 lead and marked the first homer of his collegiate career.
The Islanders (7-5) were paced offensively by sophomore third baseman Weston Montgomery, who went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Starting pitcher Roy Ferdin (1-1) suffered the loss, charged with eight runs in four-plus innings.
In the tournament opener Friday afternoon, the Sooners hung a six-spot in the home first on the way to a 16-5 rout of Mississippi State. Oklahoma (14-1) pounded out a season-high 19 hits in stretching its winning streak to nine games.
Senior designated hitter Ross Hubbard belted a three-run double to highlight the first-inning outburst. Hubbard finished with two hits and four RBIs. Sophomore first baseman Cameron Seitzer added a three-run double of his own in the third to give the Sooners a comfortable 11-2 cushion. Seitzer paced Oklahoma with three hits and five RBIs.
Mississippi State (9-4) had its winning streak snapped at five. Senior first baseman Connor Powers, though, continued his early-season assault, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. The performance marked his ninth multi-RBI game this season, giving him 30 RBIs in just 13 games.
Zach Neal (2-0) collected the win, posting eight strikeouts in 6.1 innings. He allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits and a walk. Starter Nick Routt (0-1) was saddled with the loss for the Bulldogs.
A total of 3,705 turned out for Friday's games.
Saturday's action pits Oklahoma against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 1:00, while the Bulldogs and Bruins clash at 5:00.
Texas League Stories from March 13, 2010
- Bruins, Sooners Win Again On Day 2 - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Ranked Teams Prevail On Day 1 Of Whataburger College Classic - Corpus Christi Hooks
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