UCI snaps streak with 16-5 victory

Barry Faulkner

The ping, ping, ping coming from the UC Irvine batting cages well

after Friday night’s 2-1 Big West Conference series-opening baseball

loss to the University of the Pacific, was the result of extra

hitting practice.

But after averaging just 1.5 runs and 6.8 hits their previous four

conference games, if one listened closely enough, they might also

have heard the sound of Anteater hitters banging their heads against

the wall.

That all changed Saturday as the hosts banged out 25 hits in a

16-5 walloping of the Tigers.

The 25 hits were the most in the three seasons since the program

was revived after a 10-year hiatus. The 16 runs were the most by a

UCI squad in 168 games, dating back to a 16-10 win over Sacramento

State April 12, 1992.

Four Anteaters got at least four hits and all nine spots in the

order contributed to an attack that included six doubles, a triple

and a home run.

Junior left fielder Andy Amara, who was 1 for 9 this season,

hadn’t had an official at-bat since Feb. 28 and was 5 for 26 in his

UCI career coming in, went 5 for 5 with three runs and two RBIs. With

a double, triple and three singles, he lifted his season average from

.111 to .429.

Senior second baseman Matt Fisher went 4 for 6 with five RBIs,

including a grand slam that capped a seven-run eighth. Fisher, who

with 32 RBIs takes over the team lead from injured sophomore Erik

Johnson (31), scored three runs.

Junior third baseman Matt Anderson was 4 for 6 with one RBI and

one run, while sophomore designated hitter R.J. Brown went 4 for 5

with two runs and one RBI.

“It’s great to come out and get a win today and it’s especially

nice to see our offense kind of get back on track,” said Fisher, who

also belted two doubles. “There was a better sense of urgency today,

knowing that in conference, we have to start winning with postseason

on the line. This is what you have to do. You’ve got to beat teams

and beat them good. Today sent a message [to UOP] that maybe Friday

wasn’t as easy as it looked.”

“We needed a breakout game, that’s for sure,” said UCI Coach John

Savage, who was especially pleased with Amara.

“Talk about a guy being ready,” Savage added. “You could look at

it two ways: that we’re geniuses for putting him in [today], or

idiots for not having played him. He’s a guy who has worked all

season long and it was a good day for him.”

It was also a good day for freshman pitcher Chris Nicoll, who

allowed one run and four hits in 6 1/3 relief innings to earn the

win. He struck out eight and walked none.

UCI (25-11-1, 3-5 in conference), halted a five-game Big West

losing streak and dropped UOP to 16-23, 1-7.

ZOTS -- The April 16 visit to UC Irvine by the Dalai Lama

apparently inspired those in the Anteater dugout, where a picture of

the Tibetan spiritual leader, wearing a blue UCI visor, was pinned on

the bulletin board with the words “Rally Llama” and “Go Anteaters”

written on it Friday night. It had been taken down Saturday ... UCI

entered Saturday’s game with the statistical anomaly of a .273 team

batting average and a 2.73 team ERA ... The UOP series concludes

today at 1 p.m. with UCI freshman Justin Cassel (3-2 with a 1.89 ERA)

opposing UOP freshman Mike Mathews (1-6, 7.43) ... Today is Fan

Appreciation Day at Anteater Ballpark. Kids wearing their baseball

jersey get in free and other kids will be admitted for $1. Prizes

including a DVD player and T-shirts will be given away.

*--*

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 16, Pacific 5

Score by Innings

UOP 220 000 010 - 5 10 0

UCI 141 003 07x - 16 25 0

Willick, Reynolds (3), Barbic (6),

Didjurgis (8), Gray (8) and Gottier;

Swanson, Nicoll (2), Koehler (9) and

Werhun, Wagner (3). W - Nicoll, 5-2. L -

Willick, 4-5. 2B - Bishop (UOP) 2,

Amezquita (UOP), Gottier (UOP), Martinez

(UCI), Amara (UCI), Fisher (UCI) 2,

Sekiya (UOP), Anderson (UCI), Szabo

(UCI). 3B - Amara (UCI). HR - Fisher

(UCI).

*--*