UCLA got off to a fast start on offense and on the mound in its 3-1 win over Mississippi State on Monday night.
Taking the ball for the Bruins was junior starter Adam Plutko, who came into the game undefeated with a school-record six wins and a 0.87 earned run average in his postseason career. Plutko started out perfect, carrying a no-hitter and perfect game into the fourth inning before running into trouble.
The Bruin ace allowed a pair of singles and hit a batter to load the bases before walking in the Bulldogs’ only run of the game in the fourth inning.
Following a lead-off single in the seventh, Plutko was replaced by freshman James Kaprielian who followed with a walk before getting a double play and ground out to end the inning.
After extending his school record for postseason wins to seven, the junior from Glendora, Calif. spoke to Bruin Sports senior staffer Tyler Drohan on potentially pitching in his final game as a Bruin. Plutko was drafted in the 11th round of the MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians and will have the option to sign with the team after the season.
On potentially playing in his final game at UCLA:
“It was just about making pitches and executing pitches, and it wasn’t so much the grand scheme about my last start in a Bruin uniform or potentially my last start in a Bruin uniform. It was just about giving my team the chance to win a ballgame.”
On retiring first 10 batters before getting into trouble:
“I came out strong and I was feeling good the first couple (innings), but I know they’re good hitters at the same time so I knew it wasn’t going to be that kind of a night. I just really tried to slow the game down because I thought it sped up on me a little bit in the fourth inning and (I) just kind of tried to keep it slow from then on.”
On using his fastball to attack hitters:
“I’m just trying to get nervous contact, a weak fly ball out, you know, and just changing the hitter’s eye level. A lot of people think I don’t throw fastballs down in the zone, but that’s completely false. I throw up in the zone because I throw down in the zone as well. It plays off each other so I’m just trying to get a weak fly ball out there.”
On spacious TD Ameritrade ballpark in Omaha:
“It’s a ballpark and everyone’s playing in the same one and everyone’s made a big deal about there’s not as many home runs or all that, but at the same time it’s just a ballpark and everyone’s playing in the same one.”
Compiled by Tyler Drohan, Bruin Sports senior staff