Jan. 23, 2013

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Los Angeles, Calif. - The UCLA baseball team is continuing its winter workouts in preparation for the 2013 season, which begins in just over three weeks. The Bruins return 17 letterwinners from the 2012 squad and will welcome 12 newcomers in 2013.

Last season, UCLA won its second consecutive Pac-12 championship, which is something that had never been done in school history. The Bruins then hosted the Los Angeles Regional and Super Regional at Jackie Robinson Stadium en route to earning their second College World Series appearance in three years.

This season, UCLA's strength will come from its pitching staff as the Bruins return all four starting pitchers from a year ago. Preseason All-American Adam Plutko will anchor the staff as UCLA's Friday starter while juniors Nick Vander Tuig and Zack Weiss also return to the starting rotation. Sophomore left-hander Grant Watson also returns after a solid freshman season as UCLA's Tuesday starter. In the bullpen, sophomore David Berg and junior Ryan Deeter are back and will look to continue to be shutdown guys in the later innings.

In the infield, four starters from the 2012 squad return in senior Cody Regis, juniors Pat Valaika and Kevin Williams, and sophomore Kevin Kramer. Regis enters his final season in Westwood having played in 178 games over the last three years while boasting a wealth of experience in the postseason, playing in a school record 24 postseason games. Valaika will also enter his third year as a starter while Williams and Kramer will look to build upon last year's success.

The Bruins also brought in the No. 2 ranked recruiting class in the country back in September. The 2013 squad will have 12 newcomers on the team, many of whom will be looked upon to contribute both as starters and as go-to players off the bench, or out of the bullpen.

UCLA will open the 2013 season with a three-game series at home against Minnesota on Friday, Feb. 15. Game time of the season opener is 6 p.m. The Bruins and Golden Gophers will then continue the three-game series on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.