Baseball: Anteaters open against Toreros

* KUCI Radio/88.9 FM

ANTEATER BALLPARK - After a 10-year hiatus, the UC Irvine baseball

team will be back in action tonight as the Anteaters host the University

of San Diego at 7 in a nonconference season opener that will kick off a

three-game series.

Junior right-hander Paul French is the projected starter for the

Anteaters’ opener.

Although he has never pitched in a Division I game, he does bring some

college experience to the mound. After a stint at Arizona State, French

pitched at Sacramento City College and went 5-1 with a 2.67 ERA in more

than 34 innings. He struck out 42.

Even though French will start, don’t count on him going the distance.

UCI’s Sean Tracey, who will start Saturday, and Brett Smith, who will

start Sunday, probably won’t be on the mound for their entire games

either.

“It’s a matter of getting their feet wet,” UCI Coach John Savage said.

“They will be on 75- to 90-pitch counts. There is going to be a limit on

how much they throw.”

The Anteaters will face a big test in taking on the Toreros, who were

picked to win the West Coast Conference in a preseason coaches’ poll.

“We know it’s going to be a great challenge,” Savage said. “San Diego

is predicted to have a big year. We know we will have our hands full, but

we will be competitive.”

Starting for San Diego on opening day will most likely be left-hander

Ricky Barrett, who went 9-3 with a 3.19 ERA last season and was an

all-conference first-team selection.

“We are going against probably one of the best left-handers in

Southern California,” Savage said. “He is very experienced and has lots

of experience at the Division I level. He pitches between 88 and 90 miles

per hour. He’s left-handed and throws strikes. That matchup is definitely

going to be challenging.”

Another challenge will be keeping San Diego left-fielder Joey Prast

under control offensively. Prast, last season’s WCC Freshman of the Year,

hit .365 during his rookie year.