UCI swept, falls to fifth

Cal State Fullerton completed a three-game Big West Conference

baseball sweep of host UC Irvine Sunday, 7-3, knocking the Anteaters

into a tie for fifth in the eight-team conference with just three Big

West games remaining.

The loss, UCI’s fourth straight, will virtually force the

Anteaters (31-17, 8-10 in the Big West) to sweep third-place UC

Riverside (10-8 in conference) in their regular-season-ending series,

that begins Friday at Anteater Ballpark, to have a chance for a

top-three finish.

UC Santa Barbara (9-9 in conference) and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

(8-10) face one another in a three-game set beginning Friday at Cal

Poly.

UCI’s four losses last week figure to knock it from the Baseball

America top 25. It entered the week ranked No. 21.

The Titans (33-20, 16-2), who moved two games ahead of

second-place Long Beach State in the Big West standings, broke a 2-2

tie with two runs in the fifth on an RBI single by Clark Hardman and

a sacrifice bunt by Danny Dorn.

UCI closed to within 4-3 in the fifth when David Kennedy’s single

plated R.J. Brown. But the Titans, who have won six straight over the

‘Eaters, scored three in the seventh to prevail.

Fullerton outscored the hosts, 21-4, in the series and only two of

UCI’s runs were earned.

UCI freshman Justin Cassel allowed six hits and four earned runs

in 4 1/3 innings to absorb the loss, dropping his record to 5-4.

Mike Martinez went five innings, giving up eight hits and two

earned runs, to get the win and improve to 6-2.

Ryan Schreppal, who finished up with four innings of scoreless,

two-hit relief, earned the save, only the second all season by a

Titan pitcher.

Kennedy was 2 for 4 to pace the ‘Eaters’ 10-hit attack and David

Huff tossed three shutout relief innings for the hosts, striking out

four and allowing just two hits.

Fullerton, winner of 18 of its last 21, closes out the conference

schedule with a three-game set at Long Beach State, beginning Friday.

UCI will attempt to halt its season-worst, four-game skid Tuesday

when it visits UCLA for a nonconference clash.