UCI clinches Tulane series

NEW ORLEANS — UC Irvine junior center fielder Ollie Linton drove in two runs and stole two bases to lead the Anteaters to a 5-1 nonconference baseball victory Sunday in front of 3,862 at Turchin Stadium.

Linton, who homered and drove in four runs Saturday, helped the Anteaters (10-1) win their third weekend series in as many tries this season. UCI’s leading hitter at .415, Linton, a preseason All-American, now has 13 RBIs and 13 stolen bases this season.

Sophomore right-hander Christian Bergman pitched six shutout innings to improve to 2-0, helping to lower the Anteaters’ season earned-run average to 1.37.

It was the second straight start in which Bergman earned the win.

Bergman, who lowered his ERA to 1.02 in 17 2/3 innings this season, was 0-4 as a freshman.

Sophomore designated hitter Francis Larson gave UCI the lead with a two-run home run in the first inning, a blast to left field that plated junior shortstop Ben Orloff for Larson’s first dinger of the season.

No. 13-ranked UCI added two runs in the fifth and one in the seventh to top the No. 22-ranked Green Wave (8-5), handing Tulane starter Robby Broach his first loss in two decisions.

Sophomore right fielder Sean Madigan walked to lead off the UCI fifth and advanced to third on a single by junior third baseman Eric Deragisch.

Sophomore left fielder Dillon Bell followed with a successful safety squeeze bunt, plating Madigan and advancing Deragisch to second.

Linton followed with an RBI single through the right side to give UCI a 3-0 cushion.

Madigan singled and advanced to second on Deragisch’s sacrifice bunt in the eighth. After a flyout, Madigan advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on another Linton single to right.

Bergman allowed five hits, struck out three and walked three, before giving way to junior Matt Dufour to start the seventh.

Dufour allowed a leadoff home run to cleanup hitter Andrew Rodgers to start the eighth but recorded half of his four outs on strikeouts.

Sophomore left-hander Tom Calahan retired the two hitters he faced, fanning one, before sophomore Eric Pettis pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two.

Opponents are now hitting a paltry .197 against UCI pitchers.

Madigan was two for three with two runs scored, while Linton was two for five and sophomore first baseman Jeff Cusick was two for four to fortify the visitors’ nine-hit attack.

UCI visits USC Tuesday for a nonconference game at 7 p.m., before playing nonconference visitor Western Illinois, Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Anteater Ballpark.

Nonconference

UC Irvine 5, Tulane 1

SCORE BY INNINGS

Beargman, Dufour (6), Calahan (8), Pettis (9); Broach, Claiborne (7) and Dyer, Moritz (8). W – Bergman, 2-0. L – Broach, 1-1. HR – Larson (UCI), Rodgers (T).