Tucson native returns home to face UA baseball team

Though he was recruited by Arizona and Stanford, he chose the Bruins because he said it would give him a chance to pitch every weekend.

This weekend he will pitch against his hometown team for the first time when UCLA (9-13 overall, 4-7 in the Pacific 10 Conference Southern Division) comes to play fifth-ranked Arizona (23-4, 5-4) at Sancet Field. The first game is today at 3 p.m. and the series continues tomorrow and Sunday at 1 p.m.

For the freshman, the chance to finally pitch at Sancet is "a dream. I've always been there in the stands, wondering what it would be like to be on the mound.

"I'm excited, obviously, to get the chance to pitch in front of all my family and friends," Cislak said.

The dream, though, could turn into a nightmare.

Arizona is the top hitting team in the Six-Pac at .375, and this year has not been kind to Cislak and his fellow Bruin pitchers.

"(I'm) not nervous, not intimidated in the least," Cislak said in response.

Cislak is currently 2-4 with a 7.27 ERA. He has given up 51 runs on 54 hits over 34 2/3 innings pitched.

But it's not all his fault. Cislak has given up only 28 earned runs. UCLA's defense has allowed 23 unearned runs in Cislak's six starts and one relief appearance.

The Bruins have 56 errors and only a .936 fielding percentage. Fellow freshman Chase Utley, the starting shortstop, is struggling the most (17 errors and an .876 fielding percentage) this season.

"It is tough," Cislak said. "You've got to take it with a grain of salt. You can't strictly blame your defense, though. I've got to start picking it up."

UA head coach Jerry Stitt, though, doesn't believe that Cislak's numbers tell the whole story.

"He has a chance to dominate in any game," Stitt said. "He's a fierce competitor with a strong arm."

Opposing Cislak in tomorrow's game will be UA southpaw Tony Milo (6-0, 3.27), who's starting for the second straight series in place of the injured Rob Shabansky.

Today's game pits UA right-hander Darrell Hussman (3-2, 7.12) against Bruin left-hander Ryan Carter (1-0, 2.78). For Sunday, the Wildcats will send lefty James Johnson (3-1, 4.40) up against UCLA's Jon Brandt (1-3, 8.10).