Sports Editor

With the spotlight on the CSU Bakersfield baseball team in its first NCAA baseball regional game, the Roadrunners took an early 1-0 lead against the top-seeded UCLA Bruins.
However, due to errors from CSUB’s defense and small ball from the UCLA offense, the Bruins came back to beat the Roadrunners 7-2 on Friday at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.
CSUB coach Bill Kernen said the performance was disappointing because this has been the best defensive team he’s coached.
“It’s unfortunate because this is the best defensive team I’ve ever coached, and you weren’t able to see that tonight,” Kernen said. “We gave away things on defense and we walked seven guys and obviously we wouldn’t be here if we had done that all sea

son. We have really pitched and played defense and tonight we didn’t.”
He added that he felt that the team was ready, so it wasn’t because they got overwhelmed by the moment.
“I don’t think it was because they weren’t ready to do this,” he said. “They seem like they always do. They weren’t nervous or scared or in awe of anything because we have been in some different venues with some big crowds and in some big games and we’ve handled it well.”
CSUB had three errors in the game and also walked seven batters. UCLA was also giving CSUB trouble with bunts and aggressive baserunning.
“My pitching staffs have always been the best in the country in fielding bunts, playing defense and holding runners,” Kernen said. “Maybe that was kind of my fault, but it’s too bad because you weren’t able to see what this team has been like all year so hopefully you’ll see that tomorrow.”
The Roadrunners took a 1-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a one-run single from senior Logan Trowbridge who drove in sophomore Ryan Grotjohn.
However, UCLA responded in the third inning with an RBI single to right field from sophomore Luke Persico to tie up the game. The Roadrunners were able to get out of the third only giving up one run, but the Bruins came back in the fourth and added two more runs. The first run was scored on a perfectly-placed bunt from junior Christoph Bono to score sophomore Kort Peterson who led off the inning with a walk. Then the Bruins followed that with an RBI single from junior Kevin Kramer to take a 3-1 lead after four innings.
UCLA scored one run in the fifth inning and another in the sixth inning to take a 5-1 lead into the seventh inning. However, CSUB continued to tried to get back in the game and this time with a solo lead-off home run to left field from junior Chance Gusbeth and cut the lead to 5-2.
“I was seeing the ball well tonight,” Gusbeth said. “I have struggled this year seeing the ball well with my timing and working with different stuff. But mostly, my mentality was a lot better tonight. I came out today knowing that I had to give it all and I had to focus as much as I could to help this team win on this field.”
UCLA junior pitcher James Kaprielian was able stop the CSUB rally there as he held the Roadrunners to only one run in the inning. The Bruins offense was able to get that run back in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single from Bono which drove in junior Darrell Miller Jr.
The Bruins added another run in the eighth to put the game out of reach for the Roadrunners.
“Bakersfield gave us everything we could handle,” UCLA coach John Savage said. “I thought they played well. Their starting pitcher competed, they had some good at-bats against James and It was a hard-fought win.”
Gusbeth led the way hitting for the Roadrunners as he went two-of four hitting with a home run and one RBI.

Senior pitcher James Barragan (7-4), who went 5 1/3 innings, gave up 8 hits, allowed 5 runs and struck out 3 batter, took the loss for the Roadrunners. Kaprielian (10-4) earned the win for the Bruins as he went seven innings, gave up five hits, allowed two runs and struck out six batters.
“I felt great and I was excited to play against one of the best teams in the country,” Barragan said. “One of my best friends, (senior) Grant Watson, plays for UCLA, so it was fun to play against his team. My goal tonight was to have fun and compete and do what I do every day. I thought I did that well, but there were some plays that I should have made that I didn’t make.”
CSUB will play Ole Miss, who lost to Maryland 3-1, today in an elimination game at Jackie Robinson Stadium at 4 p.m.
Kernen added that he expects his team to come back strong for the next game.
“I know one thing, they’ll never give up,” he said. “We lost early in the WAC Tournament in a game that was kind of ugly and came back and won it, so they’ll battle.”