Niners sweep ‘Eaters

Visiting UC Irvine brought the go-ahead run to the plate with the

bases loaded in the ninth inning, but Long Beach State left fielder

John Bowker snagged Mark Wagner’s drive to left-center to preserve

the 49ers’ 6-3 Big West Conference baseball victory Sunday at Blair

Field.

The win completed a sweep of the crucial three-game series for the

Dirtbags, who improved to 26-9, 6-0 in conference play.

UCI (23-10-1, 2-4), has lost three straight for the first time all

season. UCI also lost a series for the first time in eight

opportunities this spring.

Long Beach, ranked No. 5 by Baseball America, scored twice off

Anteater starter Chris Nicoll, who surrendered three hits and two

walks in his one-plus innings.

The hosts managed four runs, two earned, off David Huff, who

exited in the seventh, and UCI reliever Steve Schroer tossed a

scoreless 2 2/3 innings to keep the Anteaters within reach.

UCI, ranked No. 7 by Collegiate Baseball, managed a run in the

third when Gary Dudrey scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Anderson.

The Anteaters added two runs in the seventh, when it erupted for

five hits to force Long Beach starter Jason Vargas from the game and

cut the deficit to 6-3.

With Long Beach closer Neil Jameson on the bump, the ‘Eaters

loaded the bases on two hits and a walk. But Jamison delivered to

post his 10th save.

Vargas earned the win to even his record at 5-5, while Nicoll fell

to 3-2.

UCI junior first baseman Brett Dalton went 2 for 3 with two walks

and an RBI and Dudrey, a sophomore center fielder, was 2 for 4 with

an RBI and sophomore shortstop Kyle Rykebosh was 2 for 3 to pace the

visitors’ 10-hit attack.

Long Beach State had multiple-hit games from five players,

including junior third baseman Danny Mocny, who was 3 for 5 with two

RBIs. Mocny, who drove in the game-winner in Friday’s series opener,

has 12 RBIs in his last seven games.

Sophomore shortstop Troy Tulowitzski was 2 for 3 with two RBIs,

including the game’s only home run, while Josh Buhagiar, Brad Davis

and Vargas, the designated hitter, also added two hits apiece for the

winners.

UCI is now fifth in the Big West, behind co-leaders Long Beach and

Cal State Fullerton, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (5-1) and UC Riverside

(4-2).

The Anteaters, who had won 7 of 8 and 10 of 12 before being swept

by the 49ers, will try to bounce back against another nemesis when

they play host to Pepperdine Tuesday at 6 p.m. The Waves have

defeated UCI in their two previous meetings this season.

UCI returns to conference play Friday, when the University of the

Pacific comes to Anteater Ballpark for the first of a three-game

weekend series at 6 p.m.