Coming into Game 1 of the College World Series finals between Mississippi State and UCLA, most of the attention was focused on the Bulldogs’ superior hitting. Through three innings, however, it’s been the Bruins’ offense that has been making all of the noise.
College World Series 2013 finals update: UCLA leads Mississippi State, 1-0, after three innings
The Bruins have capitalized on an early Bulldog mistake in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
UCLA has outhit Mississippi State, 4-0, and has scored the game’s only run, but have stranded six runners.
UCLA jumped on the board in the first inning. Bulldog starting pitcher Trevor Fitts struck out the first two men in the inning, but a wild pitch on strike three put the second batter on base. A double from UCLA’s Eric Filia to left field put men on second and third before a single from Pat Valaika put the Bruins on top.
After a single led off the top of the second for UCLA, Mississippi State wasted no time going to their vaunted bullpen, pulling Fitts in favor of lefty Chad Girodo. That marks the seventh time in the last 10 games that a Mississippi State starter has failed to make it past the fifth inning.
UCLA’s Adam Plutko, on the other hand, has been dominant. He’s gotten Mississippi State batters to go three-up, three-down in each of the first three frames, including a strikeout of All-American slugger Hunter Renfroe in the bottom of the first.
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