This Time, UCLA Has the Final Word, 6-5

UCLA, which lost its first-round game in the NCAA Division I Mideast Regional Thursday to Oklahoma, 4-3, on a bases-loaded walk with two out in the bottom of the 13th inning, defeated Clemson, 6-5, Friday on pinch-hitter Chris Lohman’s two-run double with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Bruin Coach Gary Adams sent up the left-handed hitting Lohman to bat for Shawn Wills when Clemson changed pitchers, bringing in right-hander Eric Bradford to replace left-hander Aaron Jersild. Lohman lined Bradford’s second pitch to right-center, driving in Tim Kubinski and John Myrow.

By winning, UCLA (35-35) avoided being sent home from the double-elimination tournament.

Instead, the Bruins will play Yale (26-9) today in the third round. Yale eliminated Nichols State, 13-4, earlier Friday.

“We’ve been waiting for a break and we’ve been waiting for a key hit and we finally got it,” Adams said. “I know how Coach (Bill) Wilhelm must feel because we had one like this yesterday.

Adam Melhuse led off the ninth with a single to center. With one out, pinch-hitter Kubinski forced Melhuse. Myrow followed with a single to left, Kubinski stopping at second. Bradford then replaced Jersild and Lohman got the game-winning hit.

Bill Craig, who entered the game in the top of the sixth inning with one out and the bases loaded and yielded a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single that enabled the top-seeded Tigers (50-13) to take a 5-4 lead, got the victory. He blanked the Tigers on two hits over the final 3 1/3 innings.