Mar. 25, 1997
Bears to Travel to No. 2 Ranked UCLA
THE SCHEDULE: The Bears (13-20, 1-11) travel to UCLA (25-6-1, 5-4 ranked second in Baseball America and sixth inCollegiate Baseball) for a three-game series at Jackie Robinson Stadium...
Day Date Opponent Site Time
Thu. Mar. 27 at UCLA Jackie Robinson Stadium, Los Angeles, CA 6:00 p.m.
Fri. Mar. 28 at UCLA Jackie Robinson Stadium, Los Angeles, CA 7:00 p.m.
Sat. Mar. 29 at UCLA Jackie Robinson Stadium, Los Angeles, CA 1:00 p.m.
RADIO: KALX Radio (90.7 FM) will broadcast all three games at UCLA...the Bob Milano Show will air 10 minutes before the first pitch...SERIES RECORD: The Bears have a 149-135 overall series record against the UCLA Bruins...last season, Cal was swept by UCLA; 4-1, 11-8 and 5-4, Mar. 1-3 in Los Angeles, and 8-4, 6-3 and 8-5, Apr. 4-6 in Berkeley...
HEAD COACH BOB MILANO: The Bears skipper, who is in his 20th season at Cal, has a career record of 631-563-4 (.528)...Milano is the all-time winningest coach at Cal in terms of total victories, having passed Clint Evans (547-256 from 1930-54) Mar. 19, 1994 vs. Arizona (15-6)...he earned his 600th career win Feb. 24 with the Bears 5-3 victory over Fresno State...Milano has led Cal to six NCAA Regional berths ('80, '85, '88, '91, '92, '95) and three College World Series appearances ('80, '88, '92)...he was named Pac-10 South Co-Coach of the Year in 1980 and 1992...Milano will serve as the head coach of 1997 USA Baseball Team that will compete in the Intercontinental Cup, August 1-10 in Barcelona, Spain...
BEAR NOTES: The '97 Bears (13-20, 1-11) were swept by Bay Area rival Stanford, losing 6-5 Saturday at Stanford, 20-5 Sunday at Cal and 16-4 Monday at Stanford...in Saturday's loss, the Bears had a 5-0 lead after four and half innings behind a three-run homer by sophomore shortstop Brian Oliver (Antioch, CA) and a solo home run by junior designated hitter Aaron Gordnier (Rocklin, CA)...Stanford came back and was within 5-4 going into the bottom of the ninth with Cal closer Tyler Walker (Ross, CA) on the mound...with two outs and a runner on first, the Bears left fielder Preston Sharp (Chico, CA) misread a fly ball that fell in for a double, thus tying the game...the next Cardinal batter hit a double for the 6-5 come-from-behind win...in Sunday's loss, Stanford scored in every inning except the second and seventh innings and pounded out a season-high 24 hits against five different Cal pitchers on the way to the 20-5 victory...the leading hitters for Cal were freshman right fielder Juan Hernandez (Tracy, CA, 3-for-4, two doubles) and Oliver (2-for-5)...the Bears pitching again struggled in Monday's loss at Stanford, with seven pitchers yielding 21 hits and Stanford scoring runs in every inning except the ninth when Walker struck out the side...Cal was led by the hitting of Hernandez (2-for-4), Oliver (2-for-4) and senior first baseman John Furstenthal (Oakland, CA, 2-for-4, two RBI)...despite being swept, the Bears still had strong hitting performances from Hernandez (7-for-12, two doubles), Oliver (5-for-12, home run, five RBI) and Furstenthal (3-for-8, two RBI)...Hernandez is currently on a career-high six-game hitting streak (12-for-23, 3-2B, three RBI) from Mar. 15...Oliver is having an outstanding sophomore season, starting all 33 games at shortstop and leading the Bears in average (.364), runs (26), hits (47), doubles (nine), triples (three), total bases (65), stolen bases (17-for-18), walks (18), slugging percentage (.504), and on base percentage (.453)...he is a third team preseason All-American in Collegiate Baseball and last year he became the first Freshman All-American (selected in both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball) in Cal baseball history...another player hitting well is Gordnier, who is on a career-high 11-game hitting streak (16-for-43, 2-2B, 3-HR, seven RBI) from Mar. 7...he leads the team with four home runs and 24 RBI after entering the season with only three career RBI in 28 at-bats...Walker, the top rated amauter baseball player in the nation according to the Major League Scouting Bureau, continues to have a fine season despite his loss to Stanford...he leads the Bears with a 3-2 record, a 2.73 ERA and three saves...Walker also has 31 strikeouts in 29.7 innings pitched...
UCLA: The UCLA Bruins, coached by Gary Adams (23rd year as head coach at UCLA, 752-596-7, .558), are 25-6-1, 5-4 (third in the Pac-10 Southern Division) after winning two-of-three versus USC (won 12-6 at USC, won 8-5 at UCLA, lost 8-7 at USC) last weekend...top hitters for the Bruins include junior first baseman/left-handed pitcher Pete Zamora (.479, 11 HR, 37 RBI), junior third baseman/shortstop Troy Glaus (.438, 14 HR, 47 RBI) and sophomore center fielder Eric Valent (.359, 14 HR, 53 RBI)...UCLA's tentative starting pitching rotation is junior left-hander Jim Parque (8-0, 2.35 ERA), sophomore left-hander Tom Jacquez (6-1, 2.78 ERA) and sophomore left-hander Pete Zamora (1-1, 6.06)...in 1996, the Bruins were 36-28 overall (16-14, third in Pac-10 Southern Division play) and 3-2 in the NCAA Central I Regional (second)...
TENTATIVE LINEUP AND STATS: Here is a look at Cal's tentative lineup and pitching rotation...
No. Pos. Player '97 stats
26 LF Ivan Lewis, Sr. .230, 10 RBI, 7 2B
10 RF Juan Hernandez, Fr. .308, 10 RBI, 1 HR
5 SS Brian Oliver, So. .364, 19 RBI, 1 HR
33 DH Aaron Gordnier, Jr. .272, 24 RBI, 4 HR
45 C Jason Hill, So. .231, 22 RBI, 3 HR
2 1B John Furstenthal, Sr. .339, 13 RBI, 4 2B
16 CF Curtis Johnson, Fr. .205, 5 RBI, 1 HR
9 2B Jim Schmidt, Sr. .314, 10 RBI, 6 2B
22 3B Kevin Johnson, Fr. .200, 5 RBI, 1 HR
34 RHP Jon Shirley, Fr. (Thu.) 2-2, 3.38 ERA
TBA
30 RHP Drew Fischer, Sr. (Sat.) 2-3, 5.16 ERA
SIX-PAC RACE (as of March 25)
Conference Overall
W L PCT GB W L T .PCT
Stanford 8 1 .888 -- 21 7 .750
Arizona 7 5 .583 2.5 23 14 .622
UCLA 5 4 .556 3.0 25 6 1 .797
USC 8 7 .533 3.0 24 10 .706
Arizona State 7 8 .467 4.0 21 12 .636
CALIFORNIA 1 11 .083 8.5 13 20 .394
CAL INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES
DREW FISCHER: Is 2-3 with a 5.16 ERA and leads the team in innings pitched (45.3, 10th in the Pac-10)...in last outing Mar. 15, got a no decision but pitch well vs. Arizona State (6.0 innings, five hits, only one earned run, no walks, five strikeouts)...picked up win Feb. 21 vs. Oregon State (7.0 innings, nine hits, six runs, only one walk, tied a career-high seven strikeouts)...suffered loss Feb. 14 at Long Beach State, throwing his first collegiate complete game (8.0 innings, five hits, three earned runs, two walks, six strikeouts)...only gave up one hit after the first inning against the 49ers...picked up win Jan. 30 at Hawaii (5.0 innings, four hits, three runs, one walk, two strikeouts)...is seventh in the conference in walks/nine innings (2.40)...has an 1-2 career record with a 7.50 ERA vs. UCLA...is a possible starter Saturday for the Bears...
JOHN FURSTENTHAL: Is second on the team in hitting, batting .339 with four doubles and 13 RBI...also leads team in hit by pitch (seven) and putouts (285)...at Hawaii went 6-for-11 with two RBI...went 4-for-9 with a double and an RBI in the Arizona series, 4-for-10 with a double and an RBI at USC and 3-for-8 with two RBI last weekend vs. Stanford...is 7-for-32 (.219) with 12 RBI with runners in scoring position...has a career batting average of .308 (4-for-13) vs. UCLA...
AARON GORDNIER: Is batting .272 with five doubles, and a team-leading four home runs and 24 RBI...was 5-for-12 with two doubles, a home run and two RBI at USC, 5-for-11 with a home run and two RBI vs. Arizona State and last weekend was 3-for-12 with a home run and two RBI vs. Stanford...hit his first collegiate home run Feb. 4 vs. Santa Clara (1-for-3, HR, two RBI)...went 5-for-11 with two doubles and five RBI in the Hawaii series...is currently on a career-high 11-game hitting streak (16-for-43, .372, 2-2B, 3-HR, seven RBI) from Mar. 7...is 14-for-41 (.341) with two home runs and 22 RBI with runners in scoring position...
JUAN HERNANDEZ: Has started 31 games in right field, batting .308 with eight doubles, a home run and 10 RBI...is tied for third in the conference in stolen bases (14-for-14)...was 4-for-5 and hit his first collegiate home run (three-run homer) Feb. 11 at Saint Mary's...went 3-for-7 at USC, 4-for-11 with a double and two RBI vs. Arizona State and was an impressive 7-for-12 with two doubles vs. Stanford...is currently on a career-high six game hitting streak (12-for-23, .522, 3-2B, three RBI) from Mar. 15...is 7-for-31 (.226) with an HR and 10 RBI with runners in scoring position...
JASON HILL: Is hitting .231 with five doubles, three home runs and 22 RBI...was 0-for-12 last weekend vs. Stanford...went an impressive 5-for-11 with two home runs and six RBI vs. Arizona State...was 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI Mar. 14 vs. ASU...knocked in the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the 10th vs. Washington State Mar. 18...hit well at Long Beach State, Feb. 14-17, going 7-for-17 with seven RBI...had a career-high five-game hitting streak (7-for-15, double, 2-HR, seven RBI) from Mar. 11-18...is 12-for-44 (.273) with a home run and 18 RBI with runners in scoring position...has thrown out 17 baserunners (17-for-54)...has a career average of .200 (2-for-10) with an RBI vs. UCLA...
IVAN LEWIS: Is batting .230 (.250 in conference) with seven doubles and 10 RBI...was 4-for-13 with four RBI at USC, 3-for-12 with a double and two RBI vs. Arizona State and was 3-for-16 with a double vs. Stanford...went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI Mar. 14 vs. Arizona State...is 9-for-31 (.290) with 10 RBI with runners in scoring position...has a career average of .321 (18-for-56) with a double and five RBI vs. UCLA...
BRIAN OLIVER: Leads the team in batting average (.364), at bats (129), runs (26), hits (47), doubles (nine), triples (three), total bases (65), slugging percentage (.504), on-base percentage (.453), walks (18) and stolen bases (17-for-18)...was 7-for-14 with a double, a triple and three RBI at Hawaii, 6-for-11 with a double and an RBI vs. Pepperdine; 7-for-18 with a double, a triple and three RBI at Long Beach State, 3-for-10 with a double, triple and two RBI vs. Oregon State, 5-for-13 with a double vs. Arizona...went 5-for-12 with a home run and five RBI last weekend vs. Stanford...knocked in the game-winning RBI Mar. 5 vs. CS Hayward with a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth...is 12-for-37 (.324) with 18 RBI with runners in scoring position...is second in the conference in stolen bases and triples...has a career average of .409 (9-for-22) with three RBI vs. UCLA...
JIM SCHMIDT: Is Cal's third leading hitter, batting .314 with six doubles and 10 RBI...has started 27 games this season (13 at third, 11 at second and three as a designated hitter)...was 5-for-10 with a double and two RBI at Hawaii, 10-for-17 with a double and three RBI at Long Beach State and 5-for-12 with three RBI vs. Oregon State...went 3-for-11 with a double and an RBI at USC, but was 1-for-9 with a double last weekend vs. Stanford...had a career-high 10-game hitting streak (19-for-39, .487, two doubles, seven RBI) from Feb. 8-28...is 11-for-35 (.314) with 10 RBI with runners in scoring position...has a career average of .167 (2-for-12) vs. UCLA...
JON SHIRLEY: Is 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA, has a save and 32 strikeouts in 42.7 innings...in last outing, got a no decision vs. Stanford Mar. 22 (6.0 innings, eight hits, three runs, one walk, three strikeouts)...suffered the loss vs. Arizona State Mar. 14 (3.3 innings, seven hits, seven runs, three earned runs, two walks, two strikeouts)...got a no decision Mar. 8 at USC (6.3 innings, nine hits, three runs, two walks, career-high seven strikeouts)...got no decision Mar. 1 vs. Arizona, pitching a career-high 7.3 innings (three hits, one run, four walks, three strikeouts)...earned win Feb. 22 vs. Oregon State (6.0 innings, two hits, no runs, no walks, career-high seven strikeouts)...picked up a save Jan. 30 at Hawaii, shutting down the Rainbows with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the ninth...picked up first collegiate victory Feb. 16 at Long Beach State (6.0 innings, two runs, three walks, one strikeout)...is 10th in the conference in ERA...is slated to start Thursday...
TYLER WALKER: Is 3-2 with a team-high three saves and a 2.73 ERA as a reliever...has 31 strikeouts in 29.7 innings pitched...picked up two wins in relief in one week , defeating Arizona State Mar. 15 (3.0 innings, no hits, no runs, three walks) and Washington State Mar. 18 (2.3 innings, one hit, no runs, one walk, four strikeouts)...in last outing vs. Stanford Mar. 24, struck out the side in the ninth...picked up the win Feb. 9 vs. Pepperdine, throwing a career-high 5.0 innings (one hit, no runs, no walks, three strikeouts)...picked up save Feb. 16 at Long Beach State (3.0 innings, four hits, two runs, two walks, three strikeouts)...earned save Feb. 21 vs. Oregon State (1.0 inning, no hits, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts)...earned the save Mar. 11 vs. Santa Clara (2.0 innings, two hits, no runs, no walks, three strikeouts)...is fifth in the conference in saves and 10th in appearances...has a 0-1 career record vs. UCLA with a 6.32 ERA and six strikeouts in 5.7 innings...
