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.