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Baseball:
Anteaters Conclude Season, 42-18
June 16, 2008
UCI CONCLUDES SEASON: Head coach Mike Gillespie's Anteaters ended the season 42-18 overall (14-10 Big West) following a series loss to LSU last weekend in super regional action. UCI finished tied for third in the Big West, marking the second time the Anteaters have finished third in the conference since 2002. UCI IN THE POSTSEASON: The Anteaters concluded a successful season by making their second straight super regional appearance and fourth postseason berth in seven years. After going 0-4 in its first two regional appearances, UCI has now improved to 10-8 in postseason games since 2002. `EATERS SNAP STREAK: The Anteaters snapped LSU's 23-game winning streak with an 11-5 win over the Tigers Saturday. The streak was a Southeastern Conference record. PITCHING STAFF LOGS STRIKEOUT RECORD: The Anteater pitching staff, under coach Ted Silva's guidance, amassed 503 strikeouts this year for a program record, passing the previous mark by nine strikeouts (2007). It is the first time in school history that a UCI team has recorded 500 strikeouts in a season. `EATER ARMS POST LOWEST ERA SINCE '74: The `Eater pitchers also compiled a 3.27 ERA, the team's lowest earned run average since 1974 (2.89) and the third-lowest in the nation this year at the conclusion of UCI's postseason run. The pitching staff recorded nine shutouts this season, including four straight for a 36-inning scoreless streak. UCI'S POSTSEASON RUN: For the second consecutive year, the Anteaters were sent out of California in their bid to advance to the College World Series. UCI went undefeated in regional action in Lincoln, Neb, where the `Eaters defeated Oral Roberts, 9-7, in their opening game and edged by Nebraska, 3-2, to set up a championship game against ORU. UCI blanked the Golden Eagles, 8-0, to record their ninth shutout of the season to advance to the LSU super regional in Baton Rouge, La.
UC Irvine took the opening game against LSU with an 11-5 victory as Scott Gorgen (Concord/Clayton Valley HS) held the potent Tiger offense to an unearned run on six hits while striking out eight in 6.2 innings. The Anteater offense gave Gorgen a two-run lead in the first and UCI got three RBI from Sean Madigan (Yorba Linda/Servite HS). Jeff Cusick (Mission Viejo/Santa Margarita HS) went 3 for 4 with two RBI and Tony Asaro (Torrance/Pepperdine) added two runs batted in. Brock Bardeen (Fallbrook/HS) hit his fourth pinch-hit home run of the season as the No. 4 spot in the lineup produced four RBI. Gorgen recorded his 12th win (12-3) of the season. UC Irvine held an early 7-2 lead in game two. Daniel Bibona (Lake Forest/Santa Margarita HS) limited the Tigers to three runs on nine hits while striking out eight in 7.1 innings but did not figure in the decision as LSU rallied back, scoring seven runs in the final two innings to even the series and force a rubber game Monday. Catcher Aaron Lowenstein (Calabasas/HS) led the team with two RBI while four Anteater players posted two hits apiece. Eric Pettis (West Hills/El Camino Real HS) fell to 4-3 after giving up the game-winning run. In the series finale, LSU jumped out to a 7-1 lead, thanks to a six-run first and never looked back to win 21-7. Dillon Bell (Bakersfield/HS) went 3 for 3 with two RBI and Lowenstein added two runs batted in. Bryce Stowell (La Habra/Pepperdine) fell to 8-3 with the loss, yielding six runs (five earned) on five hits in 2/3 innings. SOPHOMORES STAND OUT IN POSTSEASON: Sophomores Casey Stevenson (Saugus/College of the Canyons), Jeff Cusick and Sean Madigan were stellar in the postseason for the Anteaters. Stevenson batted .526 (10 for 19) with two doubles and three RBI while Cusick topped the team with 11 hits in six postseason contests, batting .524. Cusick also cracked five doubles while driving in four. Madigan led the team with eight RBI while hitting .429 (9 for 21). Dillon Bell also shined as part of the sophomore support, driving in five on five hits. Bibona was 1-0 in the postseason, striking out 15 in 15.1 innings while walking just three. The lefty allowed five runs on 13 hits in two games. On the season, Bibona was 9-3 with a 3.08 ERA. One of the most consistent pitchers, Bibona hurled 102.1 innings, striking out 97 in 97 innings while issuing just 21 walks. Stowell was 1-1 as the redshirt sophomore recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts against Oral Roberts to help clinch the regional title. Stowell blanked ORU through 7.2 innings, scattered five hits and did not allow a walk. On the season, Stowell was 8-3 with a 3.26 ERA. He logged 88.1 innings, striking out 101 while walking 36. Stowell allowed 32 earned runs in his sophomore campaign. Christian Bergman made five postseason appearances in relief for UCI as the right-hander struck out six in 8.1 innings. Bergman walked just one while surrendering five runs on eight hits. In 2008 Bergman made 25 appearances, including seven starts and recorded 37 strikeouts in 60.1 innings. The right-hander allowed just 13 earned runs on 59 hits for a 1.94 ERA. GORGEN LEAVES MARK AT UCI: Scott Gorgen, UCI's all-time strikeout leader, is also the program's most decorated player as the junior ends his collegiate career with nine All-America honors. Gorgen also became the program's first Big West Pitcher of the Year, sharing the honor with Andrew Liebel (LBSU) and Jeff Kaplan (CSF). Gorgen also collected three Big West Pitcher of the Week awards and six various weekly awards in 2008 alone. As well as leaving UCI as the career strikeout leader, Gorgen is also second in career ERA at 2.56, tied for second in wins (32), fourth in winning percentage (.744), fourth in games started (52) and fifth in innings pitched (362.1). In the season records, Gorgen posted a 2.26 ERA to rank eighth and became the first Anteater to record back-to-back seasons of 100 or more strikeouts with 123 (second) this season. His 12 wins tied for fifth in the season annals and Gorgen posted an .800 winning percentage to sit tied for sixth. PETTIS TIES SEASON MARK: Eric Pettis picked up two postseason saves to tie for first in the UCI season record books with 17 saves. Pettis is also second in the career records behind all-time NCAA leader Blair Erickson, who posted 53 from 2004-07. Pettis made 31 appearances for UCI this season to finish third in the record books and senior Tom Calahan (Mission Viejo/Santa Ana CC) made 30 to tie for fourth. ORLOFF STREAK EXTENDS TO 155 GAMES: Junior Ben Orloff's (Simi Valley/HS) start streak stretched to 155 games with 60 starts this season The shortstop has played every inning of every game since earning the spot his freshman season. Orloff was one of the team's most consistent hitters and finished the season with a .344 average. The team leader in doubles with 17, Orloff was second with 78 hits and 19 stolen bases. LARSON LEADS IN LONG BALL, RBI: Sophomore Francis Larson (Yorba Linda/Esperanza HS) belted a team-high seven home runs and posted 40 RBI to pace the Anteater offense. Larson, who divided his time between the outfield and catcher positions, was third on the team with 64 hits and 13 doubles. LINTON MAKES MARK IN STOLEN BASES: Ollie Linton, expected to sign a professional contract this summer, will leave UCI as the all-time leader in career and single-season steals. Linton was 40 for 48 on the base-paths this season while batting .324 with a team-high 79 hits. Linton also had eight doubles, a triple and four home runs while driving in 36 to sit third on the team. Over three seasons, Linton recorded 69 stolen bases while posting a career average of .324. Linton recorded 171 hits, 17 doubles, 11 triples to tie for fifth in the records, five home runs and 76 RBI. SIX ANTEATERS DRAFTED IN 2008: Six Anteaters were selected in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft tying for the second most Anteaters drafted in a single season with the 2007 squad holding the record with eight players drafted. UCI had six players drafted in 1983, 1988 and 2005 Scott Gorgen was a fourth-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals while Ollie Linton was selected in the 13th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 408th pick. Ben Orloff was picked in the 19th round by the Colorado Rockies with the 587th selection. Redshirt sophomore pitcher Bryce Stowell was selected in the 22nd round by the Cleveland Indians with the 681st overall pick. Senior catcher Aaron Lowenstein was picked in the 44th round by the San Francisco Giants with the 1317th overall selection.Junior outfielder Tony Asaro was selected in the 47th round by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 1404th pick. UCI AMONG THE NATION'S BEST: UC Irvine currently holds the top spot in sacrifice bunts with 95 and is ranked third in ERA. The pitching staff also sits 15th in the country in strikeouts per nine innings (8.4) and hits allowed per nine innings (8.7). The team is 21st with a .700 win-loss percentage. Individually, Eric Pettis is second in the nation in saves with 17 while Scott Gorgen is third in victories with 12. Gorgen is also fifth in hits allowed per nine innings 95.6) and sixth in strikeouts with 123. Christian Bergman (Altadena/St. Francis HS) is 10th with a 1.94 ERA while Gorgen is 19th at 2.26. Daniel Bibona is 72nd with a 3.08 ERA and Bryce Stowell sits 87th (3.26). Bibona's nine victories rank the sophomore 30th and Stowell is 70th with eight wins. Ollie Linton (Winnetka/Crespi HS) is sixth with 40 stolen bases and averaged .67 stolen bases per game to rank eighth. Eric Deragisch (Granite Bay/Sierra CC) and Ben Orloff were 18th and 19th, respectively, in sacrifice bunts per game at .27 while Orloff was 12th with 17 sacrifice bunts on the season. Deragisch recorded 14 (20th) while Aaron Lowenstein (Calabasas/HS) totaled 10 (80th). |
