|
Baseball:
Anteaters, Gillespie Open Season at Nevada
Feb. 17, 2008
UC IRVINE TAKES ON NEVADA IN SEASON OPENER: UC Irvine, under first-year head coach Mike Gillespie, opens the 2008 campaign at Nevada this weekend (Feb 22-23).
Fri., Feb. 22 - 2:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 23 - 1:00 p.m. ANTEATERS ON THE AIR: The majority of UC Irvine's baseball games will be broadcast on KUCI 88.9 FM and the Internet. The broadcast schedule can be found on the Listen Live page at ucirvinesports.com. Bob Scanlan and Mark Roberts return to call the action in 2008. GORGEN TO OPEN SERIES: Junior All-American Scott Gorgen (Concord/Clayton Valley HS) will open the series against the Wolf Pack Friday. Gorgen was 13-3 in 2007, playing a key role in UCI's drive to its first Division I College World Series. The right-hander recorded six complete games, including three complete-game shutouts, posted a 2.83 ERA and finished with 117 strikeouts, fifth-best in the UCI season records. Gorgen, who held batters to a .235 average, earned All-America honors from Baseball America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). He also earned All-Big West Conference honors and was named to the Round Rock Regional All-Tournament team. STOWELL MAKES FIRST START FOR ANTEATERS: Redshirt sophomore Bryce Stowell (La Habra/Pepperdine) will make his first start as an Anteater Saturday. Stowell, who transferred from Pepperdine, utilized a redshirt year last season. He was recently ranked 90th on Baseball America's top 100 college prospects list. In his freshman season at Pepperdine, Stowell tossed 16.1 innings and struck out 13.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Stowell's father, Mark, played baseball at UC Irvine in 1980 and 1981. BERGMAN TO CLOSE SERIES: Sophomore right-hander Christian Bergman (Altadena/St. Francis HS) is slated to close out the series Sunday. Bergman (0-4), who made 14 appearances for UCI, pitched 21.2 innings, struck out 10 and recorded a 4.98 ERA. GILLESPIE RETUNS TO COLLEGE GAME: UC Irvine is under the leadership of veteran coach Mike Gillespie. Gillespie, who was formally introduced in October of 2007, is the program's third head coach since it was reinstated in 2002. The first-year Anteater skipper led the Trojans to 15 postseason appearances in his 20 years at USC (1987-2006). SHINE, AN ANTEATER AGAIN: Joining Gillespie on the coaching staff is associate head coach Pat Shine, who was on the first UC Irvine staff from 2002-04. Shine, who was an assistant coach under then-head coach John Savage, spent two seasons at the helm of the Cal State L.A. He led the Golden Eagles, who posted a 45-17-1 record last season, to the NCAA Division II West Region championship and was named American Baseball Coaches Association West Region Coach of the Year. SILVA, MACALUSO ROUND OUT STAFF: Ted Silva, the team's pitching coach, comes to UCI from Fresno State, where he spent the 2007 season helping the Bulldogs to a 38-29 mark and an NCAA regional berth in San Diego. Under Silva's tutelage, Fresno State posted the second-lowest ERA in the WAC last season at 4.54 with three Bulldogs ranked in the top 10 individually. Bob Macaluso was an assistant with Shine at Cal State L.A., helping the Golden Eagles win the 2007 Division II West Regional title and advance to the College World Series. Macaluso served as the team's third-base coach and worked with the infielders. Macaluso, who will coach first base, will work with the infielders as well as instruct in hitting. GORGEN, LINTON TABBED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: Gorgen and centerfielder Ollie Linton (Winnetka/Crespi HS) were selected as preseason All-Americans earlier this season. Gorgen and Linton both received All-America nods from the NCBWA and were named to the Brooks Wallace Award preseason watch list. Gorgen also was tabbed a preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Rivals.com and was recently named to the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list. LOWENSTEIN, LINTON, ORLOFF ANCHOR `EATERS: UC Irvine will be solid up the middle with the leadership and experience of catcher Aaron Lowenstein (Calabasas/HS), Linton and shortstop Ben Orloff (Simi Valley/HS). Lowenstein was one of the conference's top defensive catchers, holding the opposition to a 45-percent success rate on the base paths. Offensively, Lowenstein hit .296 with 45 hits and 21 RBI while going 10 for 12 in stolen bases. He also was third on the team with 13 sacrifice hits. Linton earned a starting spot on the UCI team during the second weekend of Big West Conference play and never relinquished it. Displaying speed and talent in outfield, Linton also was an offensive threat and is the team's top returnee with a .342 batting average. Linton was second on the team last season with eight triples and added 52 hits and 30 runs scored. The centerfielder also had 15 stolen bases and struck out just 17 times in 152 at bats. Orloff returns as the starting shortstop for the Anteaters. The junior batted .324 and is the top returnee with 79 hits. Orloff was named All-Big West and has led the nation for two straight years in sacrifice hits per game (.52). Orloff was also tied for third on the team with 10 doubles and totaled 33 runs batted in while stealing 20 bases, second-highest on the team last season. ORLOFF START STREAK AT 95: Orloff, who shares the single-season record with 65 starts in 2007, opens the season with a 95-game starting streak. UNDERCLASSMEN KEY IN 2008: Also vital to the Anteater team are the return of sophomores Sean Madigan (Yorba Linda/Servite HS), Jeff Cusick (Mission Viejo/Santa Margarita HS) and Francis Larson (Altadena/St. Francis HS). Madigan, a Ping! Baseball Freshman All-American, headlines the trio. Madigan was named All-Big West honorable mention after hitting .333 with 42 hits and 24 runs scored. Starting in 31 games, Madigan added a solid left-handed bat to the UCI lineup, recording eight doubles, a triple, a home run and 33 RBI. Cusick played in 44 games with 26 starts and looks to return as the team's first baseman. He batted .319 with 29 hits, including a pair of doubles, a triple and three home runs. He recorded his first career pinch-hit grand slam at Pacific to highlight an eight-run, come-from-behind rally that ended in an 11-8 win for UCI. Last season the Anteaters were 21-3 with Cusick floating between the sixth and seventh spots in the lineup. The Anteaters will also look to Larson to be an offensive threat. Larson saw limited action, playing in 32 games and adding 17 hits and 11 RBI. Larson belted four doubles against Loyola Marymount, falling one double shy of tying the NCAA record for most doubles in a game. The catcher ended the season with seven doubles and a home run. ANTEATER ARMS BOLSTERED BY YOUNG TALENT: The UC Irvine pitching staff will be reinforced by a solid sophomore class as Eric Pettis (West Hills/El Camino Real HS), Cory Hamilton (Elk Grove/Sheldon HS), Daniel Bibona (Lake Forest/Santa Margarita HS), Reid Suitor (San Diego/Torrey Pines HS) and Kyle Necke (Walnut/HS) return to the stable. Pettis was undefeated last season, going 4-0 in 25 appearances on the mound. Starting the season as a middle reliever, Pettis made his first start against UC Santa Barbara and the Anteaters went 7-0 with Pettis as the starting pitcher. The right-hander tossed 59.2 innings, striking out 37 batters and allowing 58 hits for a 4.53 ERA. Hamilton saw action in 11 games with five starts in his freshman campaign. The right-hander was 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA, pitching 24 innings and fanning 15. Hamilton yielded seven runs (six earned) on 27 hits while issuing 12 walks. Bibona made five starts in the season and finished with 16 appearances for the Anteaters. The southpaw was 1-1 (6.84) and struck out 25 batters in 26.1 innings. Suitor made six appearances and three starts for the Anteaters. The right-hander was 3-0 with a 2.35 ERA, pitching 15.1 innings with 10 strikeouts. Necke, who utilized a redshirt year in 2007, had a strong freshman season, making 24 appearances and posting a 2.49 ERA. The right-hander struck out 16 in 25.1 innings, totaling four saves. Necke allowed just seven earned runs on 25 hits for UCI. CALAHAN, LOPEZ, PROVIDE SENIOR LEADERSHIP: Pitchers Tom Calahan (Mission Viejo/Santa Ana CC) and Chris Lopez (West Hills/Louisville) are the lone seniors returning to the Anteater pitching staff. Calahan came out of the bullpen in 22 games and struck out 24 in 22.1 innings pitched to boast a 1.61 ERA. The lefty picked up a pair of wins and did not register a loss, giving up just four earned runs on 17 hits and holding opposing teams to a .215 average. Lopez was 1-0 in eight appearances (6.23) and tossed 8.2 innings. The right-hander struck out 11 batters and walked six while scattering 11 hits. TOP NEWCOMERS: Transfers Casey Stevenson (Saugus/College of the Canyons) and Tyler Hoechlin (Corona/Arizona State) have been tagged as key newcomers. Stevenson, who is a strong candidate to start at third base, was an All-Western State first-team selection. He established the single-season school record for most hits with 75 in 2007. The sophomore batted .397 and totaled 48 RBI and 51 runs scored. Hoechlin, a redshirt freshman from Arizona State, prepped at Corona Santiago High School. He helped the team to the 2004 Mountain View League title and batted .341 his senior year. Hoechlin will look to start at second for UCI this season. ABOUT NEVADA: The Wolf Pack is coached by Gary Powers, who is in his 26th season (761-595-4). Nevada posted a 35-26 overall record last year and returns 17 letterwinners, including six starting position players. Rod Scurry is slated to take the mound against Gorgen in the series opener. Scurry was 3-7 with a 5.08 ERA last season. The senior pitched 79.2 innings, striking 65 while giving up 45 earned runs. He was second on the team in starts with 17 and pitched in two combined shutouts. Lefty Chris Garcia is a sophomore transfer from Feather River College and will make his first start for the Wolf Pack Saturday. Right-hander Mario Rivera is slated to close the series Sunday. Rivera was 5-1 with a 4.27 ERA last season. The senior made 20 appearances and five starts, pitching 52.2 innings. He totaled 42 strikeouts and allowed 25 earned runs on 67 hits while posting five saves. SERIES RECORD: UC Irvine is 5-4 against Nevada. The Anteaters swept Nevada last season at Anteater Ballpark. 2007 HIGHLIGHTS: UC Irvine enjoyed its first-ever trip to the NCAA Division I College World Series in 2007. The Anteaters recorded a UCI Division I record 47 wins (47-17-1) and posted their highest finish in Big West Conference at second place with a 15-6 mark. UC Irvine did not play a single postseason game at home, traveling to Texas and earning its first NCAA postseason win with a 13-0 shutout against Wake Forest. The Anteaters then defeated No. 5 Texas twice to advance to super regional action against Wichita State in a best-of-three series. UCI swept the Shockers to become one of eight teams to reach the College World Series. UCI's CWS debut against Arizona State resulted in a 5-4 loss but the Anteaters held off elimination with a 13-inning, 5-4 win against Cal State Fullerton. The contest lasted five hours and forty minutes, the longest in the CWS' 61-year history. The team then had to face the Sun Devils on Elimination Day and ousted ASU, 8-7, after 10 innings to become the first team to win back-to-back, extra-inning games on consecutive days. UCI's magical run ended against eventual champion Oregon State with a 7-1 loss in front of 29,921, the second-largest crowd in College World Series history. The Anteaters ended the season ranked fourth in the nation and a record eight players were drafted by Major League organizations with Bryan Petersen, a CWS All-Tournament Team selection, going to Florida in the fourth round as UCI's highest pick that year. |
