Chalk it up to nerves or whatever else you’d like, but the start of both halves of the first inning wasn’t the prettiest for either starting pitching. For Florida’s Alex Pantheliodis, it was consecutive hit batters to start the inning. For UCLA’s Trevor Bauer, it was a walk and base hit that started his half of the frame.
2010 College World Series: Florida Up 2-1 Early After Lively 1st Inning
While both UCLA and Florida had runners at first and second with nobody out in the first, it was Florida who did a little more with it. The Bruins got one across on a base hit by Dean Espy, but when Cody Regis’ squeeze bunt got a little too close to the mound, Pantheliodis was all over it to make a nice catch and toss to the plate for the out.
Having two on with one out and getting just one run isn’t heart-breaking, but it’s not quite what UCLA was hoping for. When Florida had their chance, they bested the Bruins by a run. After a balk moved the runners to second and third, Bauer made incredible pitches to get the next two batters out on a pop up and strike out. Almost out of the inning, Bauer left a pitch up and Brian Johnson made him pay with a two-RBI single to left. Already up 2-1, Florida almost added to their lead, but UCLA center fielder went to deep left center field to make a fantastic diving catch, ending the inning and saving a run.
With the first inning jitters out of the way, both teams have their chance to settle down now. Odds are this game doesn’t see too many more runs with the outstanding Pantheliodis and Bauer pitching.
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