Anteaters denied bid, look ahead

Barry Faulkner

As expected, UC Irvine failed to earn a berth in the NCAA Division I

baseball regionals, an occurrence first-year coach Dave Serrano vows

will be the exception to the rule for the Anteaters.

“This program has everything it needs to be in the regionals and

we should be in the regionals,” said Serrano, whose squad went 31-25,

10-11 in the Big West Conference, where it finished fifth.

“I will feel like a failure in my coaching career unless I have

this program in the regionals each and every year. We have everything

we need to be successful. Now, it’s just getting the mentality in

this program day in and day out.”

Serrano, who in eight seasons as pitching coach at Cal State

Fullerton went to the postseason every year, including a College

World Series title last spring, said mentality may have been the

biggest reason why this UCI team underachieved.

The Anteaters, coming off the school’s first Division I regional

appearance, never cracked the top 25. They were 8-10 against eight opponents who made the regionals, but had --six losses against losing

teams.

“I don’t think, as a group, we maintained a sence of urgency day

in and day out,” Serrano said. “That’s something I’ve got to fix as a

coach. I think good coaches not only get their players to their

expectation level, but beyond it. And that’s what I want to do.

“I’m used to winning championships. I want to win championships

and I won’t settle for anything less.”

Serrano, who was recruiting coordinator at Fullerton, said his

staff has been working to fill holes left by the loss of 10 seniors,

as well as juniors Mark Wagner and Chris Nicoll, who are expected to

be among those selected in the upcoming Major League draft.

“We’re going to lose some good young men and it’s going to be a

transition,” Serrano said. “We’re goong to have guys coming back, but

we’re going to have a lot of new guys.”