Colleges: Turning the Corner

Steve Virgen

If the UC Irvine baseball team’s season reads like a book at the

end of the season, the turning point in the Anteaters’ story could be

found April 26, 27, and 28. That was the time, to use UCI pitcher Glenn

Swanson’s words, when the Anteaters definitely opened some eyes. Call it,

The 49er Sweep.

UCI moved into second place in the Big West Conference after sweeping

host Long Beach State, the No. 15 team in the nation at the time, which

fell out of the Baseball America poll this week.

The sweep was the first against Big West opponents for the ‘Eaters

this season. Long Beach State had not been swept at Blair Field since Cal

State Fullerton brought out the broom in 1998.

“It definitely was a turning point,” UCI Coach John Savage said of The

49er Sweep. “We knew, until you play Long Beach or Fullerton, you haven’t

been through the best. They have set the bar.”

With confidence and team unity, the Anteaters are expecting to meet

that bar. They boast a strong pitching staff, solid defense and now hot

bats. Junior center fielder Jon Horwitz, who went 5 for 6 with four RBIs

in UCI’s 11-9 come-from-behind win Sunday, said the Anteaters put it all

together in The 49er Sweep.

“We have nothing to lose, and we play as hard as we can,” Horwitz

said. “There is a lot of team chemistry. We’re getting a feel for each

other. Beating Long Beach State was definitely a team win. We beat Long

Beach State in every aspect. We knew we weren’t going to lose (Sunday).

We had no doubt. It didn’t matter if they went up 10, we had that much

confidence and now our turning point is continuing.

The 49ers scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth, to go up 9-8,

but the Anteaters responded, as Steve Guthrie, who slammed a solo home

run in the 9-3 win over the 49ers Saturday, led off the ninth with a

double.

“We have a good dugout,” Guthrie said of the many reasons why the

Anteaters are building themselves into Big West champion contenders.

“Sometimes Coach Savage thinks we’re too good. We’re always in the game.

When I need a lift I’ll always look at them to pick me up.”

Before the Anteaters dare to get ahead of themselves, Savage plans to

keep them grounded. He won’t let heads touch clouds, especially with Cal

State Fullerton coming to Anteater Ballpark for a three-game series that

begins Friday at 7 p.m. The Titans, ranked No. 18, are in third place in

the Big West.

“We’re still far from what we want to accomplish,” Savage said. “It’s

all about the project. If anybody thinks we have established ourselves,

then they are kidding themselves. We’re not satisfied. I remind the

players that winning tomorrow’s game is in today’s practice. We’re not

talking about Omaha or the College World Series.”

The Anteaters and Swanson, who starts on the mound Sunday at 1 p.m.,

are talking about the Titans.

“I hope (the media and critics) realize that by us being a new team,

it’s not impossible to beat a ranked team,” Swanson said. “We’re showing,

it matters how hard you work. Being a new team gives us motivation.

People can come and take us lightly and we’re going to advantage of it.

People will be surprised. But it won’t surprise me.”