Anteaters open season with victory

HONOLULU, Hawaii — Left-handed starter Daniel Bibona struck out eight battlers in 7 2/3 innings, helping the No. 9-ranked UC Irvine Anteaters open the baseball season with a 5-1 nonconference victory over Hawaii late Friday night.

Bibona, a junior, allowed one hit and run in the victory. He walked one batter.

Junior catcher Francis Larson went two for four with two runs batted in for UCI, which went ahead, 4-0, in the sixth inning.

Junior Sean Madigan and junior Jeff Cusick each doubled for the Anteaters.

UCI sophomore Ryan Fisher went two for four.

The Anteaters resume their four-game series with Hawaii in a doubleheader today. The first game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Nonconference

UC Irvine 5, Hawaii 3

SCORE BY INNINGS

Bibona, Dufour (8) and Larson; Kramer, Davis (7) and Hernandez. W – Bibona, 1-0. L – Kramer, 0-1. 2B – Madigan (UCI), Cusick (UCI), Larson (UCI), Stevenson (UCI); Hernandez (H).