Third ranked UCLA broke open a one run game with a five run ninth inning Sunday to take an 8-2 win in the deciding game of the weekend series with seventeenth ranked Oregon St.
The highlight for the Beavers was Stefan Romero's seventh home run of the year that tied the game at a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning, against UCLA starter Rob Rasmussen.
Rasmussen remained undefeated by allowing no further damage, and went seven innings, which was long enough for Tyler Rahmatulla to hit a solo homer to right in the top of the seventh, giving UCLA the lead back.
"If you don't play baseball the way you're supposed to play it, that's what happens," Oregon St. coach Pat Casey said. "Today's game was a result of not playing the game the way you're supposed to play it Saturday night -- just fundamental baseball. We didn't do it Saturday night, that created seven extra innings, and we eventually lost our pitching."
Matt Boyd took over for Beaver starter Sam Gaviglio, and took the loss, his first of the season, after allowing Rahmatulla's homer.
By the ninth inning, Oregon St., having used seven pitchers out of the bullpen in the night before's 16 inning loss, had freshman Tony Bryant on the mound, and he gave up the grand-slam home run that ended any chance of the Beavers rallying.
Gaviglio gave up solo homers in the first and third innings. Andrew Susac drove in Carter Bell in the fifth inning for the Beavers' first run.
The Beavers managed eight hits, but suffered 11 strikeouts against two UCLA pitchers.
"UCLA is good," Casey added. "And they're really, really good when the other team opens the door for them."
UCLA came back from losing the series opener in their first true road series of the season.
"Before anybody says that you're good, you've got to go win a Pac-10 series on the road," Bruins coach John Savage said. "Until you do that, everybody can talk all they want. I think the guys can have a lot of confidence after this weekend."
UCLA (25-3, 4-2) will host the University of Oregon (21-11, 4-5), who won their first weekend series since the program was restarted over Stanford, next weekend.
Oregon St. (20-8, 3-3) hosts Stanford (14-13, 4-5) next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com