‘Eaters win 9th in a row

IRVINE ? Even in the midst of the program’s longest winning streak since 1990, the UC Irvine baseball team was not without worry Saturday against Big West Conference visitor Pacific.

Anteaters Coach Dave Serrano was concerned that his team was beginning to take its recent success for granted.

And All-American junior closer Blair Erickson was just plain doubting himself, as the Tigers trimmed the lead to one run with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth.

But UCI prevailed, 6-3, to extend its winning streak to nine and post its 13th win in the last 14 games.

With their sixth victory in their last seven conference games, the Anteaters (32-17, 7-7 in the Big West) moved within a half-game of third-place Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“From a team perspective, I was proud of the way we overcame some difficulties in the end,” UCI Coach Dave Serrano said. “But in this game, I think the baseball gods were telling us that winning shouldn’t get boring and we need to stay in tune as a team.”

Serrano, who was critical of his team’s focus in the dugout more so than on the field, said there’s a fine line between living right and living dangerously.

“The way [the Tigers (25-22, 5-12)] came back [scoring single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to close to within 4-3] kind of woke us up,” Serrano said. “It was almost as if we realized, ‘Hey, it’s never over until it’s over.’ We should have learned last night [when a ninth-inning grand slam sliced into a 13-2 lead] that winning should never get boring. We can’t win enough in the this program to ever get bored.”

Erickson, back in his familiar closer role after a brief stint as a starter, made things anything but boring upon entering in the eighth. He was summoned after Matt Berezay doubled off reliever Dylan Axelrod, who took over for starter Glenn Swanson in the seventh.

Erickson walked the first two hitters he faced to load the bases, then hit Adam Ching to push a run across.

Serrano, who doubles as the Anteaters’ pitching coach, visited Erickson on the mound to offer some inspiration.

“I told him, ‘You’re not pitching with any confidence, you’re waiting for something negative to happen,’ ” Serrano said. “I told him, ‘I’m handing you the ball in this situation, because these are six of the biggest outs of our season. And that’s how it’s going to be all the way through. You’re going to get the ball in regional play, when it’s on the line. We want you to have the ball and you need to feel that too.’ ”

Erickson struck out pinch-hitter Jason Haar, then induced a slow chopper to third baseman Chad Lundahl, who caught it, stepped on third and threw to first for the inning-ending double play.

UCI’s offense, which spread its 13 hits throughout all but one spot in the batting order, then came through with two insurance runs in the eighth to help Erickson finish off his 12th save.

Swanson, who won his fourth straight start, allowed two earned runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five and is eight shy of tying Gary Wheelock for the school career record of 287.

Swanson (8-4) retired 11 straight, before surrendering a one-out single in the seventh on his 87th and final pitch.

“I could tell that he was teetering a little bit and when I went out there, he said he was tired,” Serrano said.

Matt Morris went three for four, including an RBI triple in the eighth, while Lundahl was two for two with two RBIs.

Jaime Martinez upped his school career home run record total to 20 with a solo shot to lead off the second. He was two for four. The senior has seven homers and 43 RBIs this season, both team highs.

Zach Robinson also had two hits for the Anteaters, who last won nine straight in 1990. Only two UCI teams have had longer winning streaks. The 1974 NCAA Division II champions won 32 in a row and the 1973 Division II champions won 13 straight.

UOP Coach Ed Sprague protested the game in the second inning, when a UCI run was allowed to count on a sacrifice fly, after which Morris was doubled off second for leaving early for the final out.

“The umpires told me they were 100% sure the protest would not go through,” Serrano said. “If they would have taken that run away, I would have protested.”

UCI will attempt to complete the series sweep today at 1 p.m. at Anteater Ballpark.