April 10, 2001
SAN DIEGO - In what turned into yet another one-run game between UCLA and San Diego State, the Bruins held on to escape Tony Gwynn Stadium with a 3-2 win on Tuesday.
UCLA (22-11 overall) got out to a 3-0 lead after scoring two runs in the third and adding another in the fourth off Aztec starter Ben Julianel. The Bruins chased Julianel after he gave up eight hits through 3 1/3 innings.
Things calmed down for SDSU (21-15 overall) once head coach Jim Dietz went to his bullpen. John Skinner, Mike Garber, Mike Moat and Royce Ring combined to hold the Bruins scoreless for the final 5 2/3 innings of the contest on only four hits. In addition, the Aztec bullpen combined to strike out eight UCLA batters and allow only one walk.
As well as the SDSU bullpen did, the Bruins countered. UCLA starter Paul Diaz went four innings and held the Aztecs scoreless on three hits before exiting. Bobby Roe and Mike Davern came out of the bullpen for the Bruins and combined to add 3 1/3 innings of scoreless ball.
SDSU broke through in the bottom of the ninth when second baseman Carlo Cota blasted a one-out home run over the left-center field fence, his first of the year. After a pair of singles by right fielder Sean Pierce and first baseman Cody Haven and a walk to pinch hitter Chad Redfern, the Aztecs had the bases loaded with only one out. Third baseman Pilar Amaya came on and blasted a shot deep to right that looked destined to be the game winner. However, the ball hooked foul.
Amaya then hit an RBI grounder to UCLA third baseman Randall Shelley. With Pierce coming in to score, Shelley's only play was to throw out Amaya at first.
With the Aztecs now trailing, 3-2 with runners on second and third and two out, Bruin head coach Gary Adams called on Casey Janssen out of the bullpen. Janssen came on and got SDSU catcher Troy Perdue to hit a slow roller to shortstop Preston Griffin, who charged and threw Perdue out at first to end the game.
Tuesday's one-run game marked the third consecutive one-run game played between the Aztecs and Bruins, and the sixth contest decided by a single run in the last 8 games of the series, dating back to 1996.
SDSU center fielder Anthony Gwynn left the contest after taking a pitch off his left hand while squaring up to bunt. More will be known about his status for this weekend's Mountain West Conference series against UNLV after he is examined by the Aztec medical staff on Wednesday.