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UCLA baseball pitcher Angel Cervantes has caught national attention for keeping a toy dinosaur on the mound with him during his outings.
Baseball is a generally superstitious sport, with fans and players alike partaking in routines they believe help their team perform. Cervantes’ dinosaur—named Jerry—is no different.
“He’s just my little guy that’s just hanging out with me. Sometimes when I look down, I put my hand on my lid, I like to take two breaths and that’s what I’m looking at the whole time,” Cervantes told College Baseball Central’s Ron Darling. “He calms me down. I know it might sound, like, childish, but I mean whatever works for you and that’s what works for me, so he’s gonna be here for a long time.”
The right-hander’s companion may be helping out as well, as Cervantes is having quite the season for the Bruins. He has a 3.86 ERA with 30 strikeouts through 44.1 innings pitched, boasting a 4-1 record on the year for a Bruins team which won the Big Ten Tournament.
Cervantes threw five innings in the tournament championship, striking out five and keeping his opponents scoreless in a 3-2 win. The Bruins secured their first Big Ten Tournament Title with the win, setting themselves up for an exciting remainder of the season.
[IMG alt="Mar 1, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins against Mississippi State Bulldogs during the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images
"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/la_sports_report_articles_451/8572166c88cb6a62a239e5cdd383180e[/IMG]
Mar 1, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins against Mississippi State Bulldogs during the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images
The next step in the season for UCLA is playing in the Los Angeles Regional, a four-team tournament to establish which team advances to the Super Regionals.
UCLA will host St. Mary’s on Friday, while Cal Poly Squares off against Virginia Tech five hours afterwards. The teams play in a double-elimination format, and the winner will advance to the Super Regionals. If the Bruins advance from that point, they will go to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series.
The Bruins rank No. 1 overall in the country with a 51-6 record on the season, and have held that spot all season. They’ll look to cap off an electric campaign with their second College World Series championship.
What do you think of superstitions in baseball?
The post UCLA Pitcher Brings Toy Dinosaur to the Mound appeared first on LA Sports Report.
Continue reading...
Baseball is a generally superstitious sport, with fans and players alike partaking in routines they believe help their team perform. Cervantes’ dinosaur—named Jerry—is no different.
“He’s just my little guy that’s just hanging out with me. Sometimes when I look down, I put my hand on my lid, I like to take two breaths and that’s what I’m looking at the whole time,” Cervantes told College Baseball Central’s Ron Darling. “He calms me down. I know it might sound, like, childish, but I mean whatever works for you and that’s what works for me, so he’s gonna be here for a long time.”
The right-hander’s companion may be helping out as well, as Cervantes is having quite the season for the Bruins. He has a 3.86 ERA with 30 strikeouts through 44.1 innings pitched, boasting a 4-1 record on the year for a Bruins team which won the Big Ten Tournament.
Cervantes threw five innings in the tournament championship, striking out five and keeping his opponents scoreless in a 3-2 win. The Bruins secured their first Big Ten Tournament Title with the win, setting themselves up for an exciting remainder of the season.
[IMG alt="Mar 1, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins against Mississippi State Bulldogs during the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images
"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/la_sports_report_articles_451/8572166c88cb6a62a239e5cdd383180e[/IMG]
Mar 1, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins against Mississippi State Bulldogs during the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images
What’s Next For UCLA Baseball After Winning the Big Ten Championship?
The next step in the season for UCLA is playing in the Los Angeles Regional, a four-team tournament to establish which team advances to the Super Regionals.
UCLA will host St. Mary’s on Friday, while Cal Poly Squares off against Virginia Tech five hours afterwards. The teams play in a double-elimination format, and the winner will advance to the Super Regionals. If the Bruins advance from that point, they will go to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series.
The Bruins rank No. 1 overall in the country with a 51-6 record on the season, and have held that spot all season. They’ll look to cap off an electric campaign with their second College World Series championship.
What do you think of superstitions in baseball?
The post UCLA Pitcher Brings Toy Dinosaur to the Mound appeared first on LA Sports Report.
Continue reading...
