UCLA Edges Oklahoma To Stay Unbeaten
Published on March 14, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Corpus Christi Hooks News Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - UCLA got solid pitching and took advantage of its opportunities on the way to a 5-2 win over Oklahoma Sunday afternoon at Whataburger Field, giving the Bruins the unofficial title of champion of the Fifth Annual Whataburger College Classic.
The Bruins, who remain unbeaten on the year at 13-0, once again got a terrific outing from their starting pitcher. Junior southpaw Rob Rasmussen (1-0) held a potent Sooner lineup in check, allowing just one run on four hits and three walks over six innings. He fanned seven and left the game with a 3-1 lead.
Sophomore closer Dan Klein preserved the victory with two innings of work. He surrendered one hit and one walk, stranding a pair of runners in the ninth for his third save.
Leading 3-2 entering the ninth, the Bruins provided Klein some breathing room when they tallied a pair of unearned runs off Oklahoma closer and former Calallen star Ryan Duke. The inning included a throwing error, two walks, an infield RBI single by Tyler Rahmatulla and five stolen bases, the highlight of which was a steal of home by Niko Gallego to make it a 5-2 game.
Dean Espy, Justin Uribe and Steve Rodriguez delivered RBIs for the Bruins in the fourth. Oklahoma's runs came on an RBI single by Casey Johnson in the third and a solo home run off the bat of Chris Ellison in the seventh.
The Sooners (15-2) got a sterling relief effort from senior Jeremy Erben, who blanked UCLA on two hits and a walk over 4.1 innings while striking out seven. The result snapped Oklahoma's 10-game winning streak.
The meeting between UCLA, ranked 15th in the current Baseball America poll, and Oklahoma, ranked 25th, marked the first time in the five-year history of the Whataburger College Classic that two teams with 2-0 records in tournament play met on the final day to decide the title.
In the late afternoon affair, Trey Hernandez homered and drove in three and Cory Ege chipped in with two doubles and two runs as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi defeated Mississippi State 8-6. The victory enabled the Islanders to finish third in the tournament.
Competing as the designated visiting team, the Islanders built a 6-1 lead after four and a half innings. Hernandez, the junior first baseman from Robstown, belted his sixth homer of the year in the top of the fifth - a two-run shot to the berm in left - to give the Islanders that 6-1 cushion. Ege had doubled into the right-field corner to set up Hernandez.
Sophomore catcher Omar Garcia, hitting in the leadoff spot, tripled and scored in the seventh and brought home another run with a single in the eighth.Â
The Islanders (8-6) had to weather a rally by the Bulldogs in the bottom of the ninth. Catcher Cody Freemen's single with the bases loaded sent a pair of runners home to slice the Islander advantage to 8-5. Jet Butler followed with a run-scoring single, becoming the potential tying run at first. Sophomore reliever Phillip Garcia, however, got Jonathan Ogden to pop up to short and Russ Sneed to line out to left to seal the Islander win. The save is Garcia's first this year.
Ryan Duffy and Nick Vickerson each clubbed solo home runs for Mississippi State (9-6).
Beautiful weather brought out yet another record crowd for the Classic. Sunday's attendance of 4,148 established a new mark, edging Saturday's previous tournament high of 4,122. A total of 11,975 fans turned out for the three-day event - also a new Whataburger College Classic record.
UCLA sophomore starter Trevor Bauer was voted Tournament MVP. Bauer pitched the Bruins to a 5-2 win over the Bulldogs Saturday night, posting 15 strikeouts in eight innings.
The 2010 Whataburger College Classic All-Tournament Team:
Player
--- Position --- Team
Steve Rodriguez --- Catcher --- UCLA
Connor Powers --- First Base --- Mississippi State
Tyler Rahmatulla --- Second Base --- UCLA
Garrett Buechele --- Third Base --- Oklahoma
Cory Ege --- Shortstop --- TAMUCC
Ryan Collins --- Outfield --- Mississippi State
Chris Ellison --- Outfield --- Oklahoma
Cody Keefer --- Outfield --- UCLA
Brett Krill --- Outfield --- UCLA
Ross Hubbard --- Designated Hitter --- Oklahoma
Trevor Bauer --- Pitcher --- UCLA
Gerrit Cole --- Pitcher --- UCLA
Jeremy Erben --- Pitcher --- Oklahoma
Rob Rasmussen --- Pitcher --- UCLA
Tournament MVP
--- Trevor Bauer --- UCLA
Texas League Stories from March 14, 2010
- UCLA Edges Oklahoma To Stay Unbeaten - Corpus Christi Hooks
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