UCLA basketball: A tale of two friends

UCLA Coach Ben Howland and Cal State Fullerton Coach Bob Burton, who face each other in the season opener at Pauley Pavilion on Monday night, happen to be good friends.

Burton is known for his wisecracks, always the highlight of the preseason luncheon at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, but is also a sharp basketball mind who has revitalized the Titans.

"He's a funny guy," Howland said. "It's not fun playing against them."

This respect does not extend to a hobby the pals share -- their summertime fishing trips.

"He's a terrible fisherman," Howland said.

-- David Wharton

Photo: Ben Howland poses with some of his players on Wednesday in Los Angeles. Credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press.

UCLA basketball: Open practice

Each season, UCLA Coach Ben Howland (pictured at left during Pac-10 media day) opens one practice to the media -- and today's the day.

The Bruins are on the court now with the fullest contingent they've had yet in an injury-plagued preseason.

That means 12 scholarship players and five walk-ons are running through non-contact drills -- stretching, layups, set plays -- for the first part of the session.

Freshman Brendan Lane is still sitting out with a sprained ankle and is being evaluated on a daily basis, with no timetable set for his return.

Senior guard Michael Roll is working on a no-contact basis, still recovering from an injured ankle, and sophomore point guard Jerime Anderson will be limited to about an hour of partial contact as he rehabs a sore groin.

-- David Wharton

Photo credit: Reed Saxon / Associated Press

Arkansas hands Fullerton loss in College World Series opener

Arkansas collected its first victory in College World Series play since 1989 with a 10-6 victory over Cal State Fullerton (47-15) this afternoon.

Zack Cox, who drove in three runs, had a two-run home run in the third inning to provide a 4-0 lead and Andy Wilkins drove in three of his five runs with a three-run homer in a five-run fourth inning that made it 9-2 for the Razorbacks (40-22) and chased starter Noe Ramirez (9-2), who walked four and was charged with seven runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Wilkins hit his decisive homer off reliever Tyler Pill with two outs in the fourth.

The Razorbacks last won a CWS game when they eliminated North Carolina, 7-3, on June 4, 1989.

Christian Colon had three hits and scored two runs in four at-bats to lead the Titans.

Fullerton will next play the loser of Louisiana State (51-16) and Virginia (48-13-1).

-- Dan Loumena

Photo: Titans left fielder Gary Brown makes a catch on a deep fly ball by James McCann in the second inning today. Credit: Eric Francis / Associated Press

Fullerton falls behind Arkansas early in College World Series opener

Cal State Fullerton starting pitcher Noe Ramirez (pictured at left) did not fare well in his College World Series debut today in Omaha, surrendering four walks and seven runs to Arkansas in 3 2/3 innings. The Razorbacks extended a pair of two-run leads to 9-2 by the fourth inning.

The Titans rallied for two runs in the fifth to cut their deficit to 9-4.

Coach Dave Serrano of Fullerton (47-14) knew going into the game that his youthful pitching staff would be tested. Ramirez, a 19-year-old freshman from East Los Angeles, entered the game with a 9-1 record and a 2.86 earned-run average. He was relieved by freshman starter Tyler Pill (11-3, 3.95 ERA), who was charged with two earned runs.

The Titans are likely to start Daniel Renken (11-3, 2.36 ERA) in its second game and feature freshman Nick Ramirez (3-1, 2.65 ERA, seven saves) as their closer.

-- Dan Loumena

Photo: Nati Harnick / Associated Press

What a story: Texas reliever throws 169 pitches in 25-inning game

Texas and Boston College played a 25-inning college baseball marathon game Saturday before the Longhorns won, 3-2. It was the longest game in NCAA history.

But the most amazing statistic is that Texas reliever Austin Wood made 169 pitches and threw 13 innings, including 12 innings of no-hit relief.

That's pure courage and guts.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Photo: Texas pitcher Austin Wood throws one of his 169 pitches during the Longhorns' 25-inning 3-2 victory over Boston College at the NCAA Austin Regional. Credit: Matt Hempel / University of Texas

Virginia solves Strasburg and San Diego State

San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg struck out 15 in seven innings, but Virginia scored two early runs and that proved to be more than enough in a 5-1 victory over the Aztecs in the opening game of an NCAA Division I baseball regional at UC Irvine.

Strasburg, who is expected to be chosen No. 1 overall in the major league draft, gave up a first-inning home run to designated hitter Phil Gosselin and a second-inning run on Jarrett Parker's run-scoring infield single.

San Diego State (40-22) pulled to within 2-1 on Chis Wilson's sacrifice fly in the eighth, but Steven Proscia's two-run homer against reliever Andrew Leary in the eighth gave the Cavaliers (44-12-1) all the cushion they would need.

Strasburg (13-1) gave up eight hits and did not walk a batter.

I'll have more later at latimes.com/sports

--Gary Klein

Tony Gwynn finally leads San Diego State to regional

It took Tony Gwynn only three seasons to win the first of his eight National League batting titles during a Hall of Fame career with the San Diego Padres.

So Gwynn was understandably frustrated that it took him seven seasons to lead San Diego State to an NCAA Division I baseball regional.

"I really thought this was going to be an easier gig than it's turned out to be," said Gwynn, who became the coach at his alma mater in 2003. 

San Diego State (41-20) plays Virginia (43-12-1) today in the opening game of a regional at UC Irvine. Junior right-hander Stephen Strasburg, regarded as the probable No. 1 pick in the major league draft, is expected to start for the Aztecs, who are in a regional for the first time since 1991.

UC Irvine faces tough test in NCAA baseball playoffs

The NCAA baseball committee didn't do any favors to Big West Conference champion UC Irvine (43-13) when releasing its  playoff bracket Monday, forcing the Anteaters to play defending NCAA champion Fresno State (32-28) in their playoff opener Friday at 8 p.m. at Irvine while also including Atlantic Coast Conference champion Virginia (43-12-1) and San Diego State (40-21), led by pitcher Stephen Strasburg, in their regional.

Irvine is seeded No. 6 overall.

Cal State Fullerton (42-14) received the No. 2 national seed and will host Utah (26-29) in its playoff opener Friday at 7 p.m. Georgia Southern will play Gonzaga at 3 p.m. in the other regional game at Fullerton.

-- Eric Sondheimer

UCLA's Trevor Bauer receives national honor

UCLA freshman pitcher Trevor Bauer earned Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors after throwing a one-hit complete game shutout in the Bruins' 13-0 victory over Washington on Saturday.

Bauer, 18, was supposed to be playing for Newhall Hart this season in his senior year. Instead, he graduated in December, enrolled at UCLA and has become part of the starting rotation, posting a 6-3 overall record, 2.64 earned-run average and 4-0 record in the Pacific 10 Conference.

-- Eric Sondheimer
Photo courtesy UCLA athletics.

USC, UCLA showing signs of life in baseball

USC and UCLA have finally started to make an impact in the Pacific 10 Conference baseball race.

On Saturday, USC won its seventh consecutive Pac-10 game, a 5-2 road victory over Oregon State, moving into second place.

In Westwood,  freshman right-hander Trevor Bauer threw a one-hitter and struck out nine in the Bruins' 13-0 victory over Washington.

 

USC is 19-16 and 9-5. UCLA is 16-19 and 8-6.

Bauer, 18, just missed on recording the first no-hitter in UCLA history. He retired the first 13 batters and gave up a single in the sixth inning in which left fielder Gabe Cohen didn't get a good jump on the ball and saw it fall in front of him.

-- Eric Sondheimer