May 16, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The UCLA Bruins will have eight days to contemplate their postseason fate after the #5 Stanford Cardinal won the rubber game of this three-game Pac-10 conference series, 14-4, on Sunday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The loss drops the Bruins to a final regular season record of 30-29 overall and 13-11 in Pac-10 action. They finish the season tied for third in the conference with Arizona. Stanford, meanwhile, improves to 40-13 overall and 19-5 in conference play, with three games remaining on the schedule. The Cardinal, who snapped UCLA's streak of four consecutive Pac-10 series victories, clinched the conference title and the automatic NCAA berth yesterday. The Bruins won't have their Memorial Day weekend plans set until May 24, when the tournament pairings will be announced live on ESPN at 12:00pm PST.
Sophomore LF Bill Scott helped keep the Bruins in the game with his 25th home run of the season, a two-run shot to right-center that made the score 5-4 in favor of the Cardinal. The round-tripper proved historic, as Scott has homered in each of the last six games, breaking the school-record of five set by three Bruins in past years, most recently by Eric Valent in 1998. The home run also lengthened his Pac-10 home run lead to two over Xavier Nady of Cal, who is done for the season. Barring any huge home run outbursts by Dominic Woody of Washington or Jason Lane of USC, Scott will be crowned the 1999 Pac-10 home run king. Finally, the home run placed Scott in eighth place on UCLA's all-time single season home run list. Troy Glaus holds the lead with 34 in 1997. He is two shy of the sophomore single-season home run record held by Eric Valent in 1997.
The day was an emotional one, as three UCLA seniors were honored before they played their last regular season home game. Redshirt junior RHP Dan Keller, who suffered a pitching career-ending injury earlier in the season and will not return next season, senior co-captain C Jason Green, and senior SS Jack Santora were the players honored. Green finished the game 2-for-3 with his team high 19th double of the season. It was also his 15th in Pac-10 play this season, which ties the school record set by David Ravitz in 1993. Green singled in the ninth inning, it what could have been his last collegiate at-bat. Santora finished the game 1-for-4, hitting a sharp ground ball single to first base in what could have been his last at-bat as a UCLA Bruin.
The pitching of RHP Brian Sager and hitting of C John Salter proved to be the difference for the Cardinal. Sager nearly went the whole way, pitching 8.1 innings and allowing four runs (three earned) off nine UCLA hits, improving to 5-0 on the season. Salter, a back-up catcher, surprised UCLA by hitting two home runs and knocking in four runs as part of a 4-for-6 day at the plate. Sophomore LHP Bobby Roe took the defeat for UCLA, falling to 3-4 on the season.
Despite the loss, the Bruins finished strongly, winning 16 of their last 22 overall, and 12 of the last 16 Pac-10 games.
Note: The 16 NCAA Regional hosts will be announced live via telephonic news conference Monday, May 17, from 12:00pm to 1:00pm PST.