UCI sweeps away Bears

UC Irvine sophomore Chris Nicoll pitched 7 2/3 strong innings and

freshman closer Blair Erickson earned his third save of the series

(and eighth of the season) to help the visiting Anteaters earn a 1-0

nonconference baseball win Sunday in Waco, Texas.

It was the third straight one-run victory over the Bears for the

Anteaters, who swept the series to improve to 12-3-1.

UCI, ranked No. 25 by Collegiate Baseball, scored in the first

inning, when Matt Fisher doubled and scored on Mark Wagner’s RBI

double for all the ‘Eaters would need.

Nicoll (2-0) gave up four singles and walked two, leaving runners

at second and third in the eighth, when he gave way to freshman David

Huff with two outs.

Center fielder Erik Johnson then made a diving catch on Kyle

Reynolds’ flair to end the inning.

Erickson, who now has 22 strikeouts in 16 innings, spanning 11

appearances, fanned two in a perfect ninth to preserve the win over a

Baylor team (4-10) ranked No. 25 by Baseball America. Erickson is now

the school single-season record holder for saves. The previous record

of seven saves was held by Bo Kent (1984) and Larry Hicks (1981).

The Anteaters meet UCLA, coached by Gary Adams, Tuesday at 6 p.m.

at Anteater Ballpark. Adams, who will retire after this season, was

UCI’s first coach, guiding the Anteaters from 1970 to ’74.