Stowell strong in UCI shutout triumph

IRVINE — If the 2008 UC Irvine baseball team is developing a motto this season, it might be “More of the same.”

The same slump-inducing pitching as last season. The same Gashouse Gang little ball. The same clutch hitting. And, perhaps, even more victories.

UCI, ranked No. 20 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Assn., used all of the above to produce a 4-0 nonconference triumph over visiting San Francisco Saturday, showing a little bit of each of its aforementioned attributes to improve to 6-0 this season.

The 6-0 start is the best in the 30-season history of the program and back-to-back shutouts is a feat last year’s College World Series participant managed only once.

Junior right-hander Bryce Stowell gave the 683 in attendance at Anteater Ballpark a sample of the potential that prompted some to project him as a blue-chip mound compliment to seasoned ace Scott Gorgen.

Stowell, a transfer from Pepperdine who redshirted last season, pitched seven strong innings. He allowed just two hits, struck out five and walked two. With Stowell on the bump, only two Dons reached second base, one of which having reached first on an error.

Three relievers, paced by sophomore left-hander Daniel Bibona, finished off the shutout, to give Stowell his first victory of the season and the second of his collegiate career.

“Stowell was really good and he made a big step forward today,” UCI Coach Mike Gillespie said. “If we’re going to be good, he’s got to be good. We’ve known all along that there’s this untapped ability, but, in fairness to him, it would take time. He’s a guy with not much experience. So the faster he jacks up that learning curve, the better it becomes for us. But he’s got a great future.”

Stowell, who gave up three earned runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings in his first start Feb. 23 at Nevada, said he was able to relax and perform, despite being pumped up about his home debut.

“It’s just a good, good feeling to get that first win under the belt,” Stowell said. “I had a lot of emotions coming into this game and once I got out there, I think it completely slowed down. It was cool; everything was kind of in slow motion and that’s what you want when you’re out there. I thought we played great today. Up and down, the whole team. It was a lot of fun.”

Sophomore catcher Francis Larson helped take some pressure off of Stowell by driving in a run in the first inning to open the scoring.

Junior shortstop Ben Orloff opened the inning by singling to shallow right field, where the outfielder booted the ball to allow him to get to second base. Oloff advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Ollie Linton and Larson followed with the RBI single to give Irvine its first first-inning run of the season.

UCI scored again in the fifth, when junior designated hitter Tony Asaro beat out a ground ball to third for a one-out infield single. Freshman second baseman Tyler Hoechlin followed with a bunt single to the right side. After a pop to shortstop for the second out, Linton pulled a bounder through the right side for an RBI single.

Linton, who was three for four and said he is more relaxed since Gillespie and his staff flopped him and Orloff at the top of the batting order to start the San Francisco series, was also a part of the ’Eaters’ two-run rally in the ninth.

Linton laced yet another single to right to open the frame, then stole second, his team-leading fourth steal in as many attempts. He advanced to third when Larson grounded to second base, then came home when freshman left fielder Ryan Fisher laid down a successful squeeze bunt on the first pitch of his at-bat.

It was the team-leading 12th RBI for Fisher, who has at least one in every game thus far.

Sophomore first baseman Jeff Cusick singled and stole second, allowing junior third baseman Eric Deragisch to drive him home with a single up the middle to finalize the scoring.

Cusick was two for four to join seven players who contributed to UCI’s 10-hit attack off San Francisco left-hander Matt Baugh.

Gillespie singled out Bibona for his relief work. He entered with one out and a runner on third in the eighth, and promptly struck out USF leadoff man Joey Railey on a 3-2 pitch. Bibona then induced an inning-ending groundout. He did not allow a hit in his one inning.

Opponents are now hitting .185 against UCI pitching this season. Matt Dufour and Kyle Necke also contributed in relief.

Nonconference

UC Irvine 4, San Francisco 0

SCORE BY INNINGS

Baugh and Wiley, Lipkin (9); Stowell, Dufour (8), Bibona (8), Necke (9) and Larson. W – Stowell, 1-0. L – Baugh, 1-1. 2B – Cusick (UCI). Lieb (USF).

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.