CWS: UCLA vs. Mississippi State, the matchup

With record-setting closer David Berg as the anchor, the bullpen of UCLA’s baseball team is considered second to none.

Or, in the best-of-three-games College World Series starting Monday, we may find out that it is second to one.

UCLA faces Mississippi State in the national championship series. Game 1 is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. PDT at Omaha’s TD Ameritrade Park.

Berg, who has tied an NCAA single-season record with 23 saves, closes out UCLA games behind James Kaprielian and Zack Weiss. The trio has combined to pitch 154 2/3 innings, giving up 108 hits and 46 walks with 157 strikeouts. Their win-loss record is 9-1, and they have 25 saves and a 1.45 earned-run average.

But Mississippi State has a stingy trio of its own in Jonathan Holder -- is there a better name for a closer? -- Chad Girodo and Ross Mitchell. Together, they have pitched 194 2/3 innings and given up 140 hits and 61 walks while striking out 203. Their win-loss record is 24-1 and they have 23 saves and a 1.34 ERA.

UCLA should have an advantage among Game 1 starters with Adam Plutko facing Mississippi State’s Trevor Fitts.

Plutko, a junior, is in his second College World Series and he has a record of 6-0 in the postseason, with an 0.88 ERA in seven appearances.

Fitts is a sophomore who will be making his sixth start this season. In 17 appearances, he’s gone just 28 1/3 innings.

UCLA’s staff ERA is 2.61 and opponents are hitting just .223.

Mississippi State’s ERA is 2.75 and opponents are hitting .226.

However, Mississippi State is batting .297 as a team compared with UCLA’s .248.

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