4:41: UCLA has held now the Bears to eight hits in two days, and has outscored them 15-0 on their way to winning the first two games of this series.  Cal, no surprise, went 1-2-3 here in the bottom of the ninth to mercifully put an end to this debacle.  The fifth through ninth hitters today for the Bears have gone 0-for-14, including Dylan Tonneson, who popped out weakly to center to end the game.  Cal still has a chance to salvage the third game of the series and at least go into the regionals with a modicum of pride and momentum.  And with that, I bid you adieu from Evans Diamond, where the No. 15 Bears lost in front of 892 fans, 7-0, to unranked UCLA. 

4:35: Some good defense helped Rollin get out of the top of the 9th unscathed, as the Bears turned their first double play of the game after UCLA turned four of its own.  Cal pitchers have now walked 10 hitters today, two of which have scored.  This is seriously painful to watch, especially after seeing the great feats this team has accomplished over the rest of the regular season. 

4:26: Yeah, this just isn’t Cal’s weekend.  Blair Dunlop just lined an infield single off of Alex Rollin’s shin.  And in this cold, there’s no doubt that it stings just a little bit more, as Rollin tries now to deal with Alden Carrithers. 

4:22: I have honestly not seen this Bears team since last year.  They have not shown this kind of futility in a very long time, and not at all this year.  The offensive juggernaught has been absolutely deathly silent.  David Cooper just struck out to end a depressing eighth inning, as the Bears had two runners on with no outs for the middle of the Cal lineup, and then Charlie Cutler, normally a superb situational hitter, grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.  Cooper has been pressing a lot lately, and this last at-bat showed it.  He swung at several pitches well out of the zone and went down swinging.  Down 7-0 heading into the top of the ninth, it looks like the Bears have been shot with a tranquillizer dart.  They have had huge crowds the past two days and have given them nothing to make any noise about, negating whatever additional homefield advantage they may have had. 

4:05: Bad calls with balls and strikes are expected with Pac-10 umpires, but there have been some pretty horrendous calls this inning on the basepaths that have allowed a run to score for the Bruins.  After Brandon Crawford turned a single into a double by virtue of a napping Brett Jackson, Cody Decker grounded to shortstop Michael Brady, who alertly threw to third to get the advancing Crawford.  Jeff Kobernus’s tag appeared to beat Crawford’s foot, but the home plate umpire ruled that Crawford was safe.  This brought out Cal head coach David Esquer, who was decidedly unhappy with the call.

The fun wasn’t over, though, as Mickey Weisser was awarded first base when he squared to bunt, and was said to have been hit by the pitch, which sounded as if it had hit his bat.  But the home plate umpire overruled his crewmate in the field (who called it foul) and declared that it hit Weisser.  He advanced to first, setting the stage for an RBI single by catcher Ryan Babineau.  Granted, those were some bad calls, but had the Bears scored their season average (6.96 runs per game), this wouldn’t be an issue.  They have looked very meek and weak through the first 17 innings of this series.

 3:51: The Bears went quietly again, 1-2-3, against lefty Rob Rasmussen, who quieted the left-handed bats of Jackson in the bottom of the sixth, and then Blake Smith in the bottom of the seventh.  Cal still only has three years and one has to wonder how much longer Rollin can keep the Bears within striking distance, as he has now allowed only one run in three-plus innings of work, fignting to make sure that Cal at least has a chance to win the series.  But, as it gets later and later, those chances look to be fading fast.

3:44: Rollin continues to pitch well and keep the Bears in the game, facing only four batters and using very few pitches in the top of the seventh.  Still 6-0 Bruins. 

3:37: Jackson gave it a ride into right field, but the wind has been a-blowin’ and it blew that fly ball right back into play, as Chris Giovinazzo saw it settle into his mitt for a harmless flyout.  The Bears still trail going into the top of the seventh inning, 6-0, and have only mustered three hits (two of them coming in the bottom of the sixth) to the Bruins’ eight.  Rollin is still on the mound now to face Giovinazzo. 

3:32: Satin scalded one to short, and it ate up Brandon Crawford.  Crawford was able to keep it in front of him to prevent runs from scoring, but the infield hit will load the bases.  That’s the end of Brewer’s day, as Brett Rasmussen comes in to try to stop the bleeding, with center fielder Brett Jackson coming up.  The last two times he has come up with the bases juiced, Jackson has hit grand slams.  I repeat, two of his four home runs on the year have been grand slams. 

3:30: Alex Rollin allowed another run in the top of the sixth to bring the lead to 6-0 for the Bruins, but the Bears have something perhaps brewing here with two outs in the bottom of the inning, with two runners on and a full count with two outs to Satin. 

2:59: Well, this is getting depressing.  Tonneson gets hit on his upper arm to lead off the fifth, then the big swinging Blake Smith nailed one into left center, but it was easily caught.  With one out, someone telegraphed a hit-and-run, and Tonneson was thrown out on a pitchout to Jeff Kobernus.  Kobernus tried to protect the slow-footed Tonneson, but was unable to make contact.  Tonneson gets thrown out easily, and then Kobernus weakly grounds to second to end the inning.  Still 5-0 in the top of the sixth as Rollin walks Carrithers.

2:47: After a leadoff single, Alex Rollin shuts down UCLA hitters for the quickest half-inning a Cal pitcher has had today. 

2:43: After Rich Gorman was hit in the back by a pitch and first baseman Cooper worked a full-count walk, Cal failed to capitalize.  Satin swung out of his shoes at several balls outside the zone and struck out, after which Brett Jackson filed out weakly to center field to end the threat.  Still 5-0 UCLA. 

2:25: Maybe a little experience was all the Bears needed, as Alex Rollin gets two quick outs to end the threat, retiring Decker and Mickey Weisser on popouts to Josh Satin and shortstop Michael Brady, respectively.  The top of the order is coming up for Cal now, so they’ll get their second look at UCLA starter Charles Brewer. 

2:20: Fitzgerald finally gave up the ghost.  He began to get a bit wild here in the top of the fourth, and ended up walking the Bruins’ fifth run in.  Pitching Dan Hubbs has come in to pull the young lefty, who gave a great effort up to this point, and in will come senior Alex Rollin, kind of the do-everything pitcher for the Bears, who has worked in both a starting and a bullpen role throughout his career for Cal.  He comes in with a 4-2 record and a 5.64 ERA to face DH Cody Decker.

2:15: Brett Jackson just did his best Superman impression, sprinting in to make a spectacular diving catch on an Alden Carrithers dying quail.  Jackson and Charlie Cutler were coming together, but Jackson alertly dove over Cutler, who dove closer to the ground, and the two crossed in midair.  Jackson alertly got up and threw to second to hold Jermaine Curtis.   

2:08: It’s 1-2-3 again for Charles Brewer, as he sets down the Cal hitters in order again for the third straight inning. 

2:02: Fitzgerald held the Bruins scoreless for his second inning of work and now has three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.  He’s really starting to baffle these UCLA hitters, and perhaps give the Cal batters the confidence to start a comeback.  Leading off the bottom of the third will be the hard-playing right fielder and pitcher, Blake Smith, who swings as hard as Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth drank. 

1:52: The Bears still look very sluggish at the plate, and just went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second.  But it’s still early, folks, and remember, this is the team that has come from six runs down to win.  Stay tuned. 

1:44: Todd Fitzgerald is absolutely filthy.  He needs his curveball washed out with soap, because that thing is absolutely vulgar.  His breaking pitches are really working right now.  He struck out two UCLA hitters last inning to keep the Bears in this game.  Maybe this will be his breakout game.  Leading off the second now is the powerful senior, Josh Satin. 

1:35: After a leadoff single from designated hitter Rich Gorman, left fielder Charlie Cutler hammered one down the first base line, only for Casey Haerther to snag the drive and step on first to double off Gorman and neturalize the top third of the Cal lineup.  David Cooper looked at a few pitches which, despite identical locations, were alternately balls or strikes.  A frustrated Cooper then fouled out to Curtis back of third to end the threat. 

1:25: Bennigson absolutely imploded.  As soon as he walked the bases loaded, he began looking over to the Cal bullpen, indicating his growing discomfort and desire to be lifted.  He then threw eight consecutive balls to walk in two more runs.  His official line, at least as of now (the bases are still loaded), is 2/3 of an inning pitched, four runs allowed, three walks, two hit batters, two walks, and one strikeout.  he is still responsible for the three men on base, as Fitzgerald works in here against Curtis, who pops out to David Cooper to finally end the pain.  With the Bears coming up, they’re already down by four. 

1:22: Bennigson is looking very uncomfortable, and all UCLA had to do was to rattle him just a little, and it looks like the lefty has come unglued, hitting two batters and walking catcher Ryan Babineau to force in three runs here in the top of the first. 

1:15: Bennigson just hung a slider that on a warmer day might have been a three-run home run, but centerfielder Brett Jackson glided over to not only make the catch, but make a very strong throw that prevented the runner on second, Jermaine Curtis, from advancing to third.  Very impressive from the speedy centerman.  And he’s wearing his socks high.  Extra credit. 

1:12: The Bears are wearing their new, Oregon-State-esque navy blue jerseys with the oldish typography for the numbers and the letters.  Gotta say, I like ’em a lot.  And they seem to suit Craig Bennigson, who, even though he’s given up two hard-luck hits, is looking pretty strong, mixing up his speeds and breaking balls to really make life hard on UCLA hitters.  With men on first and second and one out, this should test his mettel. 

1:03 PM: Starting today for the Bears is the ascendant lefty, Craig Bennigson, who had a key six-inning, two-run effort against then-No. 6 Stanford in his last start.  Today, he faces a UCLA squad (30-24, 12-10 in the Pac-10) who shut out Cal yesterday, 8-0.  Bennigson, after talking with him this weekend, is very aware of the importance of this series for both the Bears and the Bruins, as UCLA looks to sneak into the NCAA tournament, and Cal looks to improve its seeding.

The first hit of the game is a liner just past the diving glove of sophomore third baseman Jeff Kobernus, allowing the speedy Jermaine Curtis to trot into first with a single.