Baseball:

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Aug. 7, 2008

Irvine, Calif. --- Several UC Irvine baseball players have extended their summer league seasons as their teams have advanced to playoffs. Christian Bergman (Altadena/St. Francis HS) and catcher Francis Larson (Yorba Linda/Esperanza HS) earned Alaska Baseball League (ABL) honors.

Bergman, pitching with the Anchorage Bucs, was named to the ABL All-Star first-team after posting a 4-2 record with a 1.34 ERA on the mound. The right-hander struck out 34 in 62.1 innings while allowing just nine earned runs. Bergman also shared ABL All-Star second team Player of the Year honors with Joe Gardner of the Peninsula Oilers.

Larson was named a second-team All-Star with the Peninsula Oilers and is competing at the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series August 1-15. The Oilers finished third in the league and opened action with an 11-1 win against the Southern California Bombers. The team then defeated the Clarinda A's of Iowa, 11-7, and faces the Crestwood Panthers (Illinois) Friday (Aug. 8). Larson has recorded 24 hits in 38 games with 14 RBI this season.

Outfielder Tony Asaro (Torrance/Pepperdine), playing with the Alaska-league champions, Glacier Pilots, is also competing at the NBC World Series. The Pilots defeated the Southern Tulsa Diamond Jaxx, 10-0, in their first game and face the Colorado Sox Thursday (Aug. 7). Asaro is currently batting .261 with 20 hits and 15 RBI.

Pitcher Crosby Slaught (Santa Barbara/HS) and the Santa Barbara Foresters, won the California League title and routed the Wichita Wild Wings (Kansas), 20-2, in their first game at the NCB World Series. The Foresters will take on the Plaza Tire Capahas (Missouri) this Friday.

Alaska Goldpanner teammates, Casey Stevenson (Saugus/College of the Canyons) and Reid Suitor (San Diego/Torrey Pines HS), have concluded their seasons. Stevenson hit .270 with 33 hits, including eight doubles, four triples and a home run while driving in 18 and stealing eight bags. Suitor was 1-1, tossing 13 innings in eight appearances. The right-hander struck out five while walking five.

Infielder Jeff Cusick (Mission Viejo/Santa Margarita HS), playing with the Harwich Mariners, will see playoff action as the Mariners have already secured a berth in the East Division playoffs of the Cape Cod League. Cusick has recorded 13 hits in 23 games while driving in 12 for the club.

Outfielder Cory Olson (Anaheim/Orange Coast College), a Cape Cod League All-Star playing with the Chatham A's is batting .333 with 37 hits and nine RBI. Olson, who will join the Anteater program this fall, also has belted six doubles and a triple for the A's.

Pitcher Eric Pettis (West Hills/El Camino Real HS) also was named a CCL All-Star. A reliever for the Bourne Braves, Pettis is 2-0 with six saves. The right-hander has set down 22 in 24 innings while allowing six earned runs on 11 hits. Teammate Bryce Stowell (La Habra/Pepperdine), made the start in the CCL All-Star Game and is 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA. Stowell has struck out 49 in 39.1 innings while surrendering 11 earned runs.

Noel Avison (Bakersfield/San Diego Mesa) and the Wisconsin Woodchucks lead the South Division of the Northwoods League but hold just a half-game advantage over the Greenbay Bullfrogs and UCI teammates Dillon Bell (Bakersfield/HS) and Kyle Necke (Walnut/HS) . The two teams are currently in the midst of a four-game series with divisional playoffs scheduled to start August 12. Avison is 1-0 with a 2.81 ERA. The right-hander has struck out 13 in 16 innings while giving up five earned runs.

Bell has 16 hits and 11 RBI for the Bullfrogs while Necke is 1-2 with a 2.10 ERA. The right-hander has fanned 20 in 27 innings and yielded six earned runs.

Infielder Brian Hernandez, who will join the UCI program this fall, is a member of the St. Cloud River Bats and is hitting .276. Hernandez is second on the team with 58 hits and holds a team-high 13 doubles with 24 RBI. He is also tied for third with a pair of home runs.

Nick Farinacci (La Quinta/Agoura HS)'s team, the Oahu Paddlers, suffered an 11-2 loss against the Kauai Menehunes in the 2008 Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League Championship. Farinacci ended the season with a .220 average, recording 22 hits and 11 RBI.

Scott Hong (Los Angeles/Palisades Charter HS) hit .250 with the Hawaii Aliis and totaled 23 hits, nine RBI and nine stolen bases in summer league play.

Outfielder Eric Deragisch (Granite Bay/Sierra CC), playing with the Lodi Grape Sox of the California League, posted a .411 average with 18 runs batted in. Deragisch also had four doubles and a home run for the club.

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