Pitchers key VU split
Vanguard University pitchers produced a dominant display in Monday’s
nonconference baseball doubleheader against visiting Bethany, but the
Lions managed only a split.
Vanguard’s Andrew Riddle, Brent Erickson and Michael Guernsey
combined for a three-hit shutout in a 7-0 first-game victory, as the
trio pitched three innings apiece.
Riddle earned the win and is now 1-0.
But Bethany managed a 1-0 win in the second game, despite another
combined pitching gem from Lions Clay Brown (four shutout innings and
only two hits allowed) and Matt Franco (two hits and three strikeouts
in three innings).
Junior center fielder Isaac Salazar and senior shortstop Aaron
Barret were catalysts in the opener. Salazar went 2 for 2 with three
walks and scored twice, while Barret was 2 for 3 with two walks. Both
drove in one run.
Franco was 2 for 3 with a run in the opener, while Nikolaus Crouch
drove in two and Michael Grant added an RBI for the winners.
Vanguard, however, managed just three hits in the second game off
of Jacob McKinley, who fanned six and walked just one in the
complete-game shutout.
Franco had a hit and a walk in Game 2, which left Vanguard with a
3-5 record.
Bethany’s second-game triumph, created by a suicide squeeze in the
fifth inning, was its first win in nine games.
UCI cracks top 20
* BASEBALL: The UC Irvine baseball team’s 5-1 start has propelled
it into the top 20 in two polls.
The Anteaters, who swept a Washington squad ranked No. 8 in the
Baseball America preseason poll over the weekend, are now ranked No.
17 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 19 by Baseball America.
The Anteaters were ranked No. 36 and No. 40 in the preseason by
Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America, respectively.
UCI is scheduled to begin a three-game series against visiting BYU
Thursday at 6 p.m.
UCI’s Anderson lauded
* BASEBALL: UC Irvine junior third baseman Matt Anderson is the
Big West Conference Player of the Week in baseball after helping the
Anteaters to a three-game home sweep over Washington.
Anderson went 6 for 9 with three RBIs and scored four runs against
the Huskies.
He had two doubles and a triple in the series, which included a
doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday. His sacrifice bunt
led to two runs in the series-opening 6-3 triumph.
Anderson is hitting .381 with three multiple-hit games.
Erazo continues roll
* SWIMMING: UC Irvine freshman Eddie Erazo has been named Big West
Conference Male Athlete of the Week in swimming for the second
straight week.
Erazo broke a three-year-old school record in the 200-yard
backstroke (1 minute, 49.21 seconds) while winning against UC Santa
Barbara Feb. 5.
In a Big West dual-meet win over Cal State Northridge Feb. 4,
Erazo helped the 400 freestyle relay win and was fourth in the 200
free (1:47.72).
The Anteater men’s and women’s teams are preparing for the Big
West Conference championships, Feb. 23-26, at Belmont Plaza in Long
Beach.
Eight sign with UCI
* SOCCER: UC Irvine women’s soccer has signed eight recruits to
national letters of intent, Coach Marine Cano announced Monday.
The group includes goalkeepers Rosie Aguilera (Piedmont High) and
Erin Henry (Mater Dei), as well as midfielders Rachel Flemming
(Mission Viejo High), Alexandra Fries (Chaminade) and Kathleen
Lemieux (Redlands East Valley).
Jackie Tomblin (Serrano High) is the lone defender in the group
that also includes forwards Megan Ortiz (Corona High) and Lauren
Curtis (Archbishop Mitty).
Hartwell in spotlight
* VOLLEYBALL: Johnson and Wales University freshman Kris Hartwell,
who led Estancia High to a CIF Southern Section Division III boys
volleyball championship last spring, is already making his mark at
the Denver-based NAIA school.
Hartwell had a career-high 21 kills to help the Wildcats rally for
a 21-30, 23-30, 30-27, 30-28, 15-13 win Friday over Newman, ranked
No. 9 in the NAIA.
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