Anteaters thumped by Cal State Fullerton, 11-1

Barry Faulkner

In its third season since returning from a 10-year hiatus, the UC

Irvine baseball program has already carved out a spot for itself on

the national landscape. But the Anteaters, ranked No. 21 by Baseball

America, are finding it much more difficult to establish credibility

within a 30-mile radius.

With its 11-1 loss to visiting Cal State Fullerton Saturday, the

Anteaters (31-16-1, 8-9 in the Big West Conference) are 0-5 in Big

West play against the nearby Titans and Long Beach State, both

perennial national powers occupying the top two spots in the

conference standings.

Saturday’s loss, on the heels of a 3-0 setback to the Titans

Friday and a 6-3 defeat by visiting San Diego Tuesday, left the

‘Eaters with only their second three-game losing streak of the

season.

Saturday also provided the most lopsided loss this spring for

Coach John Savage’s squad. UCI had not lost by more than seven since

a 9-1 defeat at the hands of the Titans May 11, 2003, a span of 41

games. UCI lost, 11-1, at Arizona State May 6 last season and lost by

the same score in its final meeting of last season with Long Beach

State.

UCI, which did manage two nonconference home victories over Long

Beach State this season, has now lost its last five against

Fullerton.

With one more clash with the Titans today, UCI remains one game

behind third-place UC Riverside (9-8 in conference), tied with UC

Santa Barbara for fourth, as the Highlanders and Gauchos both lost

Saturday for the second straight day.

Even with a loss today and a UC Riverside upset of Long Beach

State, UCI will host the three-game conference-ending series with UC

Riverside, beginning Friday, with a chance to claim sole possession

of third place with a sweep. Such a finish, combined with their

national ranking all season and at least 34 victories, could provide

the ‘Eaters an NCAA regional berth.

UCI figures to lose its national ranking, however, after

struggling offensively in two games against the Titans. Fullerton

sophomore left-hander Ricky Romero shut UCI down Saturday, yielding

just five hits and an unearned run.

UCI scored in the fifth when Jordan Szabo led off the inning with

an infield single, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 16.

Szabo went to second on an errant throw to first, then came home on

Mark Wagner’s double over the left fielder’s head.

Fullerton (32-20, 15-2), which belted 15 hits, scored once in the

first and six times in the second and never looked back.

One bright spot for UCI, Saturday, was the relief pitching of

junior left-hander Glenn Swanson, who had lost his spot in the

starting rotation with four straight ineffective starts. Swanson,

celebrating his 21st birthday, struck out six in 4 2/3 innings,

allowing three earned runs and three hits.

In Swanson’s previous four starts, covering 11 1/3 innings, he

had allowed 18 earned runs (14.39 ERA) and 20 hits.

ZOTS -- The series with Cal State Fullerton concludes today at 1

p.m. with UCI freshman Justin Cassel (4-2 with a 3.25 ERA) starting

against Mike Martinez (5-2, 4.12) ... UCI junior Glenn Swanson, who

came on in relief of Chris Nicoll in the second inning Saturday, had

been the Saturday starter all season. But Swanson had not won since

April 9.

*--*

Big West Conference

Cal State Fullerton 11, UCI 1

Score by Innings

CSUF 160 011 200 -- 11 15 1

UCI 000 010 000 -- 1 5 1

Romero and Pilittere; Nicoll, Swanson

(2), Alstot (6), Fox (9) and Wagner. W

- Romero, 10-4. L - Nicoll, 5-4. 2B -

Turner (CSUF), Wagner (UCI), Amara

(UCI), Pedroza (CSUF). HR - Pilittere

(CSUF).

*--*