THE YEAR OF THE ‘COCK COMES TOO SOON FOR UCLA

The Bruins pull several boners, including another self-inflicted injury, as they go down to the Gamecocks 2-1 in 11 innings, ending the College World Series prematurely, instead of forcing a climactic Rubber Game

Roosters don’t lay eggs.

The South Carolina Gamecocks are the College Baseball National Champions for the first time ever, after shutting down the UCLA Bruins for the second straight game.  The ‘Cocks got a Walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 11th to take Game 2, 2-1, sweeping the Best-of-3 Series 2-0.  Even though it was UCLA who came into the Series with the vaunted Pitching Staff, it was the USC Pitchers who shined, holding  UCLA’s explosive Offense to 2 runs in 20 innings.

The one run that the Bruins scored on Tuesday night almost held up to force a deciding game 3, until an error by the Bruin 1st Baseman allowed the tying run to score.  After the inning, that 1st Baseman went into the dugout and punched the wall (and/or the bench), and he hurt his hand and had to be removed from the game.  His replacement failed in a sacrifice attempt, so the injury directly influenced the game.  And so did the celebration injury, as the Bruins really missed their #3 hitter and fallen star.

Rob Rasmussen started for the Bruins and gave them a stellar 6 scoreless innings.  The season-ending run was given up by the Bruin Closer Dan Klein, who Pitched great for 3 innings, but seemed to tire in the 11th.  He walked a .188 hitter, who scored the winning run on a flare single.  Coach John Savage — who was just named National Coach of the Year — might get second-guessed, since he needed a Strike Out, and had National Strike Out Leader Trevor Bauer warmed up in the Bull Pen when Klein was victimized.

Painful loss notwithstanding, the Bruins had possibly their best season in School History, and could be “on the map” now.  Another World Series appearance next year could help UCLA’s Program be considered “Elite,” with Savage’s National reputation growing very strong.  That growth, along with all this ESPN exposure, will snowball into good recruiting, and soon, avalanche into perennial Powerhouse status.  And it will take some hard work by Savage, as he will lose many players to the MLB Draft, but like Rick Neuheisel — who attended the game in Omaha — he will just have to keep replacing his talented prospects with more talented prospects.