Mar. 13: vs. Pepperdine (Dodger Stadium) - 2:00 p.m.
Mar. 14: vs. Washington State (Anteater Ballpark) - 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 16-18: at Nevada (Peccole Park) - 2:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m, 1:00 p.m.

ANTEATERS HEAD TO DODGERTOWN: UC Irvine (8-6) competes in the Dodgertown Classic Tuesday (Mar. 13) against Pepperdine (11-4) at 2:00 p.m. The game marks the second major-league ballpark for the Anteaters this year, who opened the season with three games at Minute Maid Park. The Dodgertown Classic presented by Coca-Cola features UC Irvine against Pepperdine at 2:00 p.m., followed by the USC Trojans (12-3) battling the No. 9 UCLA Bruins (12-3) at 6:30 p.m. Dodger Stadium gates open at 1:00 p.m.

The Anteaters then host Washington State Wed. (Mar. 14) at 6:30 p.m. at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark and then travel to Nevada for a three-game series this weekend (Mar. 15-17).

MORE ON THE DODGERTOWN CLASSIC:  Fans can enter through Gates A, C and E. Tickets for the Dodgertown Classic are $7 in advance and $12 day of game via Ticketmaster, by visiting www.dodgers.com/classic and at Dodger Stadium. Non-alcoholic beverages and concessions are $4 or less and parking is free.

AND THE BALL GOES TO FERRAGAMO: Getting the start at Chavez Ravine will be sophomore Phillip Ferragamo (Orange/Canyon HS). Ferragamo pitched twice against BYU and logged two shutout innings in relief while striking out two and allowing a pair of hits. Ferragamo is 1-0 with a 2.51. He has fanned 11 batters in 14.1 inning and walked just three while allowing four earned runs. He has one save on the year.

HOOPER STEPS IN, STEPS UP: Penciled in for scheduled starter Matt Whitehouse (Diamond Bar/Damien HS) due to soreness, Kyle Hooper (Saugus/HS) set the tone in the series opener against BYU Thursday. The right-hander pitched six strong innings and struck out seven while walking just one. He held the Cougars to one run and earned his third win of the year. Hooper is 3-0 with a 0.39 ERA and has struck out 25 in 23 innings. He is slated to start in the series opener against Nevada and is holding opposing teams to a .138 batting average.

FOX MAKES THE START...AT SECOND: Anteater fans were treated to an unusual occurrence Saturday against BYU when southpaw Jordan Fox (Hacienda Heights/Bishop Amat HS) started at second base. Normally the team's first baseman, Fox switched positions with Tommy Reyes (Rancho Cucamonga/Bishop Amat HS), who was experiencing shoulder tenderness. Fox had four assists in the game and committed one error. Offensively he batted .364 with four hits, an RBI and a run scored. Fox was also hit by the pitch twice and stole one bag. He tops the team with 20 hits, 13 RBI and five stolen bases.

SPARKS GOES YARD, OFFICIALLY: Taylor Sparks (Long Beach/St. John Bosco HS) hit his first official home run against BYU. The freshman knocked an 0-2 pitch over the left-field fence for a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth Saturday. Earlier in the season, Sparks belted a walk-off home run against Japan Railroad in an exhibition game, which is not included in the official stats.

STEPHENS STEALS ONE FROM BYU: With a runner on second and one out Saturday, Jeff Stephens (Novato/Sierra College) made a spectacular diving catch on a sinking line drive to prevent the runner from scoring and Crosby Slaught (Santa Barbara/HS) retired the final batter of the inning to hold BYU scoreless. Stephens also contributed at the plate, hitting .571 in two games. He was the lone Anteater to post multiple-hits in the loss Friday, going 2 for 3 and scoring UCI's only run. He then went 2 for 4 Saturday with two RBI and reached safely in three of four plate appearances. Stephens is hitting .333  in eight games and has six hits and two runs batted in.

RAMIREZ LEADS 'EATERS TO SERIES WIN: Senior Christian Ramirez (Santa Ana/Cypress College) led the starters with a .444 average (4 for 9) with a double and an RBI. Ramirez, who sported a .615 on-base percentage, was walked twice and hit by the pitch twice. The centerfielder doubled and scored UCI's first run Thursday and went 2 for 3 with a walk and a stolen bag. He added a hit Friday and then went 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored to cap the series. Ramirez is hitting .310 with 13 hits and eight RBI.

GOTTSCHLING DROPS COUGARS WITH ONE BLOW: Scott Gottschling (Orange/Villa Park HS) hit a bases-clearing double in the UCI first Thursday to give the Anteaters a three-run lead.  The score would hold up as the Anteater staff held BYU to one run in a 3-1 final. Gottschling also delivered the heads up defensive play, getting a Cougar runner at first. After fielding the ball cleanly on a routine single to right, Gottschling threw behind the runner and connected with Tommy Reyes in time to catch the Cougar runner, who had rounded first base. 

THURMAN SUFFERS LOSS DESPITE SOLID START: Andrew Thurman (Orange/Orange Lutheran HS) pitched six innings Friday and held the Cougars to two runs on six hits while striking out four. The sophomore righty did not walk a batter and was tagged with the loss in an eventual 6-1 decision. The loss was Thurman's first (0-1) and he has held opposing teams to two runs or less in three of four starts this season. Thurman holds a 4.00 ERA and has 14 strikeouts in 18 innings.

TRENTACOSTA STRIKES OUT SEASON-BEST: Junior Mark Trentacosta (Orange/Goldenwest College), who utilized a redshirt year in 2011, struck out a season-high four batters Thursday. The lefty entered in relief of Hooper in the seventh, retired six straight and struck out the side in the eighth while giving up one hit. He returned Saturday with a runner on second and gave up two hits before ending the inning.

SLAUGHT DELIVERS IN KEY GAME: With the series tied at a game apiece, Crosby Slaught keyed UCI to a series win by pitching a season-long six innings and limiting the Cougars to one run. The right-hander handled the first 10 batters he faced before the no-hitter was broken up in the fourth. Slaught struck out five and walked one and left in the seventh after yielding a leadoff double. The senior has not allowed more than one earned run in five starts this year and is 2-2 with a 1.59 ERA. He has 16 strikeouts in 22.2 innings and is holding teams to a .143 batting average.

ABOUT THE WAVES: Pepperdine is a lofty 11-4 on the season. The Waves are hitting .270 and are led by Zach Vincej, who is hitting .389 with a team-high 21 hits. Joe Sever tops the team with 16 RBI.

Scheduled to start on the mound for the Waves is lefty Matt Mauer. Mauer is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and has nine strikeouts in 12 innings. Mauer has made three appearances, including two starts and has allowed three earned runs on 13 hits.

THE SERIES: UCI trails Pepperdine 25-39-2 in the series records. The two teams faced one another last season with UCI coming away with a 5-4 win at Anteater Ballpark.

ABOUT THE COUGARS: Washington State is 8-5 on the season and is led by Tommy Richards, who is hitting .370 with a team-leading 17 hits. Patrick Claussen is the team's RBI leader with 13 and WSU is batting .303 as a team.

THE SERIES: UC Irvine leads Washington State 3-2 in the series records. The two teams last met in 2004 with the Anteaters winning 12-4 at Anteater Ballpark.

ABOUT NEVADA: The Wolf Pack is 9-6 and own a 4-3 home record. Nevada, hitting .298, is led by Brett Jones' .393 average. He has 24 hits, including six doubles. Brooks Klein tops the team in RBI with 11 while hitting .283 with 13 hits.

THE SERIES: UCI holds a 13-7 lead over Nevada in the series annals. The Anteaters swept the Wolf Pack last season at Anteater Ballpark.

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