Saturday, February 26, 2011

SJSU baseball upsets No. 1 UCLA

Going into Saturday, UCLA's pitching staff hadn't allowed a run en route to a 4-0 start in 2011.
SJSU ended the Bruins pitching perfection with two runs in the fourth on a Craig Hertler two-run home run and dropped UCLA from the undefeated ranks with a 5-3 win.
The Spartans' senior outfielder belted the homer with two outs after catcher Michael DiRocco reached on a two-out, two-strike single to extend the inning and give Hertler the opportunity.
The home run was Hertler's only hit of the game, but sophomore Zach Jones was 3-for-3 on the day with a run scored while freshman second baseman Jake Valdez had his second straight two-hit game.
DiRocco finished 2-for-4 with an RBI out the the ninth spot in the lineup and caught for his former Ohlone college teammate Roberto Paddilla who started on the mound for SJSU. DiRocco's average stands at .474 after Saturday's performance.
Padilla stifled the Bruin bats in his first complete game of the season. The junior left-hander allowed three runs on five hits while walking four to improve his record to 2-0. 
In two appearances this season, Padilla has allowed just 12 hits while posting an ERA of 2.42. His debut came out of the Spartan bullpen against Saint Mary's where he earned his first victory.
No UCLA hitter managed more than one hit against Padilla on Saturday in the Bruins first loss of 2011.
UCLA starting pitcher Trevor Bauer went 6 2/3 innings and took the loss, surrending four earned runs and one unearned run on eight hits.
The Spartans (5-0) and the No. 1 Bruins (4-1) will play the second game of the series Sunday at 12 noon.
The two teams still need to complete Friday's game which was rained out in the second inning with UCLA leading 1-0 and will do so in one of the two games shceduled for Sunday.

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