UCI hurler Swanson collects pair of laurels

UC Irvine senior Glenn Swanson, who earlier this month was bumped from the Anteaters’ weekend rotation, has been named Collegiate Baseball “Louisville Slugger” National Player of the Week and Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week for his performance last week.

Swanson threw the school’s first no-hitter since 1972 on April 25, striking out 14 in an 89-pitch procession through the University of San Diego lineup that helped produce a 7-0 nonconference victory.

The left-hander out of Morse High in San Diego, worked into the sixth in a nonconference clash Sunday at UC Davis to earn his second win in five days and improve to 6-4 this season.

Swanson, the second straight Anteater to win the two awards ? following in junior Justin Cassel’s footsteps ? had posted 17 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings as a starter, before giving up the first of three runs to Davis in the sixth inning Sunday.

Swanson’s recent hot streak has lowered his earned-run average to 3.05. He has 45 strikeouts in 59 innings, with just nine walks.

Swanson has made 10 starts this season and 53 for his career, which ranks third in school annals. He trails only Craig Brink (61 starts between 1985 and 1988) and Bob Frishette (56 from 1977 to 1980).

Swanson is 22-22 in his UCI career, which he was allowed to extend after being granted a medical redshirt last season due to elbow soreness.

Coach Dave Serrano’s Anteaters (28-17) play their only game this week tonight, when UNLV visits for a nonconference meeting at 6.