Anthony Norman returned to Jackie Robinson Stadium for the 2008 Alumni Game

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

LOS ANGELES - The UCLA baseball program will host its annual Alumni Game on Saturday, Feb. 7, two weeks prior to the team’s season-opening weekend against UC Davis. Former UCLA ballplayers will have the opportunity to play each other at Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium that afternoon.
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John Savage and the baseball program have signed nine high school seniors for 2009-10

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

LOS ANGELES - UCLA head baseball coach John Savage has announced that nine student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent during the early signing period to attend UCLA and play baseball. Aided by assistant coaches Rick Vanderhook and Steve Pearse, the fifth recruiting class under Savage includes six position players, one pitcher and one two-way player.

The Bruins’ recruiting class is highlighted by three AFLAC All-Americans - right-handed pitcher Scott Griggs, infielder David Nick and catcher Max Stassi. The nine talented ballplayers, currently seniors in high school, will enroll at UCLA in the fall of 2009.
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Gavin Brooks (UCLA Photo)

The CBB continues our countdown to the 2009 College Baseball season with our Top 50 players to watch. We will be providing one player each day until we reach number 1.

We continue the list today with Junior Gavin Brook from UCLA checking in at the 45th spot in our countdown. He is a 6′3 210 pound left handed pitcher from Vista California where he attended high school at Rancho Buena Vista. Read the rest of this entry »

Head Coach Turtle Thomas Courtesy: Samuel Lewis

Thomas Announces Incoming Class & Fall Schedule

FIU baseball head coach Turtle Thomas announced his 2008 incoming class on Wednesday, as well as a schedule of events for the fall.

“Our goal is to improve our program every year and that comes through the recruiting efforts of our staff,” said Thomas.
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Gerritt Cole recently spurned the New York Yankees to start his collegiate career with the UCLA Bruins. He was the 28th overall pick in the 2008 Draft but could not come to terms with the 26 time World Champions. Read the rest of this entry »

Darren Heitner of The Sports Agent Blog continues his great coverage of the MLB Signing Day. He put up a post today on some of the biggest suprises of the day including Gerritt Cole going to UCLA over signing with the Yankees. This was a huge loss for the Yankees and is a major shock in the arm for the UCLA Bruins as he should impact the lineup immediately. Read the rest of this entry »

Joey Munoz

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

Joey Munoz Tabbed Most Valuable Pitcher for Orlando Suns

Bethune-Cookman freshman pitcher Joseph Munoz was recently named as the Most Valuable Pitcher for the Orlando Suns out of the FCSL in Orlando, Fla.
FULL STORY

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#40 Justin Novak- UCLA BRUINS

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

LOS ANGELES - The UCLA baseball team has released its 2009 schedule, which features 30 games against teams that advanced to the 2008 NCAA Tournament, as announced by fifth-year head coach John Savage. The Bruins will open the 2009 season with a three-game home series against UC Davis beginning Friday, Feb. 20.

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Fullerton 5 UCLA 4

Fullerton decided to go with it’s Friday starter, Brian Wilson. UCLA decided to save ace Tim Murphy to possibly come in late in the game. The decision paid off for Fullerton, and UCLA will have to wait til next season to try and make it to Omaha.

Freshman pitcher Rob Rasmussen was coasting with the help of his defense, including Tim Murphy throwing out the speedy Christian Colon at third after a Brent Dean overthrow on a stolen base attempt. The good times didn’t last though as the Titans were able to put together a two out rally with a couple of 1^st and 3^rd singles by Christian Colon and Erik Komatsu. After a mound visit Rasmussen was able to get out of the inning on a Jared Clark popup to right. Read the rest of this entry »

Fullerton 11  UCLA 8

Gavin Brooks started off the season as UCLA’s #1 starter, and the Bruins thought he could rekindle some of last year’s magic.  They we’re wrong, and after using up more of their bullpen than they wanted in this loss to Fullerton, the Bruins are forced into an elimination game in Fullerton, where their 2007 season ended in the Super Regionals.

The Titans offense was stifled for most of their 4-1 victory over Virginia earlier in the day by reliever Matt Packer, but they started a two out rally in the first after Erik Komatsu reached first on a hit by pitch. Komatsu was able to advance to third after Bruin lefty Gavin Brooks missed his first baseman on a pickoff throw. After a four pitch walk to Jared Clark, DH Brian Wilson singled to right, scoring Komatsu and advancing Clark into scoring position. The Titans loaded the bases on a walk to Gary Brown and looked to capitalize, but Joel Weeks lined a 2-2 pitch right to Brandon Crawford to end the inning on a drive that sounded like it broke Weeks’ bat. Brooks threw 32 pitches in the first inning, limiting his longevity. Read the rest of this entry »

UCLA 11 Fullerton 4

Interview w/Cal State Fullerton President Dr. Milton A. Gordon

Whether or not Jeff Kaplan’s eye was still bothering him, something was definitely off for him tonight at Goodwin Field. Kaplan faced a total of 19 batters over 3 innings, giving up 6 earned while striking out 4.

After Bruin starter Charles Brewer sent the Titan leadoff batters down in order to start the game, the UCLA offense got started when All Pac-10 2B Alden Carrithers was beaned by Titan starter Jeff Kaplan. Kaplan thought he had finished off the inning when with two strikes on Bruin cleanup hitter Casey Hearther, he started back to the dugout on what he and most of the Cal State Fullerton faithful thought was strike 3. Two pitches later, Hearther hit a hanging breaking ball out of the park to right field, giving UCLA the early 2-0 lead. Kaplan then struck out SS Brandon Crawford to end the inning, with Titan fans still yelling at home plate umpire Darrell Arnold over the potential strike three call.

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UCLA 3 UVA 2

UCLA’s main offensive production came early on. In the first inning, after a Jermaine Curtis leadoff double and single by Blair Dunlap, Alden Carrithers grounded out, scoring Curtis. UCLA scored again in the fourth on a Mickey Weisser single, scoring Carrithers. Virginia got out of the fourth inning relatively unscathed though after Brady Dolan grounded into a double play to end the inning. Read the rest of this entry »

The Cal State Fullerton Titans will be hosting a Regional this year where they will be joined by UCLA, Virginia, and Rider. The Titans have a record of 37-19 while being 16-8 in the Big West. UCLA went 31-25 while struggling in the Pac-10 with a 13-11 record. Virginia enters with a 38-21 record while going 15-15 in the tough ACC. The final team in the regional is Rider who is 29-26 while going 13-10 in the MAAC. Read the rest of this entry »

The Pac-10 Conference concluded the 24 game conference season this Memorial Day Weekend and after defeating Arizona on Thursday night, the Arizona State Sun Devils clinched their second straight conference title. Stanford finished second, UCLA finished third. Arizona, CAL, Washington, Oregon State, USC and Washington State wrap up the standings.

Five Pac-10 schools were selected by the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee to participate in the postseason, and given a chance to head to Omaha. Arizona, Arizona State, California, Stanford and UCLA were invited, while two time defending National Champion Oregon State was left out despite a three game sweep of Pacific to conclude its season. Read the rest of this entry »

ASU’s Kipnis Named Pac-10 Baseball Player of the Week and UCLA’s Murphy Named Pitcher of the Week

This is the first weekly honor for Kipnis and Murphy’s third.

Media Release

(Walnut Creek, CA) - Arizona State redshirt sophomore outfielder Jason Kipnis has been named the Pacific-10 Conference Baseball Player of the Week and UCLA junior left-handed pitcher Tim Murphy has been named Pitcher of the Week for May 19 - 25, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

Kipnis, from Northbrook, Ill., helped Arizona State clinch their second straight Pac-10 title, going 8-for-13 (.615) with a double, a triple, a homer and six runs batted in during the final week of the regular season. He also stole a base, drew four walks and played perfect defense in the outfield.

Murphy, from Vista, Calif., pitched his second complete game shutout of the season, helping the Bruins blank No. 15 California, 8-0, in Friday’s series opener at Evans Diamond. Murphy scattered five hits in nine innings, totaling 10 strikeouts while walking four hitters. Murphy’s complete-game effort helped pave the way for UCLA’s series victory at California over the weekend. UCLA blanked the Golden Bears, 7-0, on Saturday to become the first Bruin baseball team to post back-to-back shutouts since 1978. With the win, Murphy improved to 5-6 on the season with a 3.52 ERA and team-highs of 107 strikeouts and 94.2 innings.

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