College baseball: The Anteaters are back

Steve Virgen

ANTEATER BALLPARK - With 19 wins, a Jon Horwitz 11-game hitting

streak and pitchers producing excitement, there appears to be little

question about the following observation. UC Irvine baseball is back.

After a 10-year hiatus, the Anteaters baseball squad (19-14, 2-1 in

the Big West Conference) has made quite an impression in nonconference

and in early Big West action. Coach John Savage’s Anteaters have relied

on strong pitching and a disciplined defense in their quest to make this

season a memorable one for UCI and its followers.

“They know they’re part of something special,” Savage said of the

Anteaters. “We’re all honored to be part of the program. And, we’re

trying to fill some of the school’s expectations and our own

expectations.”

After taking two in a three-game series at University of the Pacific

to open Big West Conference play, the Anteaters have now won 11 out of

their last 16. Irvine’s success has come in large part due to its

pitching staff, which features freshmen Glenn Swanson and Brett Smith and

junior transfers Sean Tracey and Paul French.

Tracey gave the Anteaters their first Big West Conference win

Thursday, a 7-4 decision over the Tigers. He improved to 4-3 after

providing seven strikeouts and allowing four hits in seven innings.

Swanson (6-1) earned his sixth win Friday in a 9-5 victory over

Pacific. He pitched four scoreless and hitless innings, retiring the 12

batters he faced when he come on in the sixth inning.

“I don’t think there’s a freshman in the country who has six wins,”

Savage said of Swanson, who will start Tuesday at 5 p.m. in a

nonconference game at USC.

Savage was the Trojans’ pitching coach before he became UCI’s head

coach in the summer of 2000. Ever since, he has been working with his

coaching staff to put UCI on the college baseball map. Savage also set up

a highly competitive schedule, so that his Anteaters would learn quickly.

“We’re very happy about our progress in the first half of the season,”

Savage said. “The players are certainly growing. The team is coming

together. And, we’re putting up some wins over some quality teams. Each

week we get better.”

UCI’s first win of the season came against a quality team, a 6-4

victory over visiting UCLA, 6-4, Jan. 29. After starting off the season

with three straight losses to the University of San Diego (which is now

24-6 and No. 15 in the nation), the Anteaters set their sights on the

Bruins.

Swanson was credited with the win, giving up three runs on three hits,

while recording nine strikeouts and retiring the side in order in six of

seven innings. Freshman Michael Koehler recorded his first save in a

one-hit, one-run performance over two innings.

“Our strength is pitching and defense,” Savage said. “Our young arms

have kept us in every game. We’re leading the (conference) in defense,

we’re second in pitching. You don’t need to be a genius to figure out

that we’re winning with our pitching and defense. They’ve been working

hard every game.”

Savage was also quick to point out that the Anteaters are far away

from making future plans in Omaha. He said, the time at hand is important

and that means USC on Tuesday.

“It’s way too early to talk about Omaha (site of the College World

Series),” Savage said. “We’re trying to take in each game by following a

process. We want to come to the ballpark ready to play each and every

game.”