UCI gets back on track

IRVINE — When All-American Danny Bibona is on the mound for the UC Irvine baseball team, the senior left-hander is usually in control.

And while Bibona was his usual self in the Anteaters’ 4-2 Big West Conference win over Pacific in the opener of a three-game series Friday night, even things UCI couldn’t control wound up working in its favor.

The win, which allowed Bibona to improve to 6-2 this season, combined with Cal State Fullerton’s 5-3 loss at UC Santa Barbara Friday afternoon, propelled UCI (20-11, 4-2 in conference) into a first-place tie with the Titans.

Cal State Fullerton had taken two of three at UCI last weekend to knock the ’Eaters out of first place in the Big West standings for the first time since 2008.

In addition to returning to first place, UCI saw a return to the small-ball form that has keyed its rise to national prominence.

Just a week ago, UCI’s failure to execute in bunt situations was overshadowed by senior Jeff Cusick’s three-run walk-off homer in the ninth to beat Cal State Fullerton.

Against Pacific (20-12, 3-4), UCI parlayed six hits into more than enough for Bibona and closer Eric Pettis, who got the final two outs to record his third save of the season.

UCI utilized three sacrifice bunts, including a successful squeeze, to score single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, after the Tigers had tied the score with a run in the fourth.

In the UCI fourth, Francis Larson pulled off the squeeze to plate Cusick, who doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a two-strike bunt by Ronnie Shaeffer.

One inning later, D.J. Crumlich singled to start things. Cory Olson, who had squared to bunt, was hit by a pitch and Sean Madigan’s sacrifice bunt advanced both runners.

Casey Stevenson then followed with an RBI groundout to second base.

Cusick, who now has a 22-game hitting streak, upped his team-leading RBI total to 34 with a two-out single in the first to plate Stevenson, who had doubled with one out.

Two walks, a single and an error, all with two outs, tacked on an insurance run for UCI in the eighth, setting the stage for what would have been Bibona’s second straight complete game.

But Bibona, who threw 100 pitches through eight innings, surrendered a leadoff homer to J.B. Brown in the ninth and, after inducing a flyout, was lifted in favor of Pettis, having thrown 106 pitches.

Bibona, who struck out eight and is now just 22 shy of surpassing Scott Gorgen’s 327 career strikeouts to become the school’s all-time leader, outdueled Pacific junior Marcus Pointer, who went the distance for the second time this season. Pointer, however, absorbed his first defeat in seven decisions this season.

“It was a clean game with not much hitting and good pitching by everybody, including [Pointer],” UCI Coach Mike Gillespie said. “And we got a few skills done that counted. Tonight was mostly about execution.”

Bibona was impressed by his team’s ability to manufacture runs.

“We played small ball and it was great to see,” Bibona said. “I think last week, we had a few strikeouts when trying to bunt, and tonight was definitely a good step in the right direction with getting those bunts down and executing.”

Bibona said his arm felt the worst it had all season, but that it had nothing to do with his recent workload (115 pitches against Cal State Fullerton).

“I had fastball command tonight and that was about it,” Bibona said. “This was the kind of game that was all about mentality and heart.

“I’d say my [arm not feeling great] had to do with really pushing it in the weight room this week. I’ll just get back to my routine and get my arm back to feeling good.

“[Returning to first place] is huge,” Bibona said. “We can’t control what other teams do, but when things go in our favor that we can’t control, that’s definitely a positive.”

Cusick, two for three with a walk, lifted his batting average to .391.

“[Cusick] is tearing it up,” Bibona said.

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 4, Pacific 2

SCORE BY INNINGS

Pointer and Oliveira; Bibona and Larson. W – Bibona, 6-2. L – Martin, 6-1. Sv – Pettis (3). 2B – Stevenson (UCI), Longmire (UOP), Cusick (UCI). HR – Brown (UOP).