UCI TRAVELS TO No. 12 UCLA, HOSTS HIGHLANDERS: UC Irvine (20-16, 5-7 Big West) takes on the 12th-ranked Bruins on the road Tuesday (Apr. 24) and then hosts UC Riverside this weekend (Apr. 27-29) at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark. First pitch Tuesday is 6:00 p.m. while first pitch Friday is slated for 6:30 p.m. The final two games of the series are 1:00 p.m. starts. 

NO-NO NETS WEEKLY, NATIONAL AWARD FOR THURMAN: Andrew Thurman (Orange/Orange Lutheran HS) garnered the Big West Pitcher of the Week honor for the second consecutive week and was named a Collegiate Baseball "Louisville Slugger" National Player of the Week after no-hitting Long Beach State Friday.

Thurman, who became the fifth Anteater to pitch a no-hitter in program history, was also the second hurler to hold the Dirtbags hitless in the opening game of the series, a feat first recorded by 2011 Big West Pitcher of the Year, Matt Summers.

Thurman hit the first batter of the game and then retired the next 23 he faced before giving up a walk with two outs in the eighth. He went on to retire the next four batters to log his first career complete-game at UCI. The sophomore struck out five in the no-hit effort to improve to 4-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 3.26. He has now allowed just one hit in 17 innings. 

This is the second honor for Thurman and he is the fifth Anteater pitcher to be honored as a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week.

PARMENTER GETS BALL AGAINST BRUINS: Junior Race Parmenter (Huntington Beach/Goldenwest College) will get the ball Tuesday against the Bruins. Parmenter made one appearance in action last week, pitching an inning in the loss against Long Beach State. Parmenter owns a 2.57 ERA and has 14 strikeouts in 14 innings. He has walked six and given up four earned runs on the year.

MCCLANAHAN HAS PERFECT DAY: Jerry McClanahan (Temple City/Bishop Amat HS) had a perfect day at the plate, batting 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI Sunday against Long Beach State. The redshirt freshman, who previously had a pair of two-hit games, sacrificed in a run in his first at-bat and then promptly doubled and scored before singling twice.

McClanahan has raised his average to .265 and has 13 hits, five doubles and seven RBI on the year.

YOUTH RISING: Another young player who posted a solid week was freshman Kris Paulino (Ladera Ranch/Tesoro HS). The outfielder was 3 for 8 in three games, hitting .375 with two doubles and an RBI.

Against San Diego State, Paulino reached safely in four of five plate appearances after drawing a walk, hitting an RBI single and scoring once. In the win over Long Beach State, Paulino scored what would be the game-winning run in the second after being walked. Sunday he was 2 for 3 with two doubles, a walk and a run scored.

Paulino is now hitting .255 with 14 hits and seven RBI. He has drawn 12 walks and has a stolen base.

Also having productive weeks were freshmen Chris Rabago (Riverside/Riverside Poly HS) and Taylor Sparks (Long Beach/St. John Bosco HS). Both players batted .286 (4 for 14) at the plate and provided stellar defense for the 'Eaters.

Rabago scored twice to go with a single against the Aztecs before giving way to pinch-runner Justin Castro (Rocklin/HS). He then added a hit against Long Beach State and drove in the a run Friday. He singled twice Saturday and then filled in at second base Sunday.

Rabago is hitting .265 with 13 hits and three doubles.

Sparks made several stellar defensive plays behind starter Andrew Thurman Friday. He prevented two bunt singles and then leapt to snare a line-drive off the bat of Matt Duffy, robbing the Dirtbag of a sure double. Sparks singled in that game and then added a clean base hit in his final at-bat Saturday. He opened the series finale with a two base hits and came around to score UCI's final run of the game.

Sparks has 11 RBI on 13 hits and tops the team with three home runs.

TWIN MARKS FOR RAMIREZ, CRUMLICH: Seniors Christian Ramirez (Santa Ana/Cypress College) and D.J. Crumlich (Irvine/HS) both batted .333 (5 for 15) with an RBI in four games last week.

Ramirez was held hitless in the win against the Aztecs but was hit by the pitch and sacrificed once. As the No. 2 hitter Friday, Ramirez reached in all five plate appearances hitting two singles and adding a double while getting on via an error and a fielder's choice. Saturday he gave UCI a 3-0 lead with a single to score Scott Gottschling (Orange/Villa Park HS) and tacked on a hit Sunday.

Ramirez is hitting .319 with 36 hits and 16 RBI. 

Crumlich is third among the starters with a .322 average and tops the team with 47 hits and 11 doubles.

Against SDSU, the shortstop was walked twice and scored twice to go along with a single. He was held hitless in UCI's win Friday but bounced back Saturday, with a 2 for 4 outing at the plate. Sunday Crumlich was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

FERRAGAMO STARTS STRONG, GETS NO DECISION: Phillip Ferragamo (Orange/Canyon HS) held Long Beach State to one run in five innings in the start Saturday but was removed after he was struck in the arm by a line drive  in the bottom of the fifth. Ferragamo retired the first eight Dirtbags he faced before giving up a double, which was Long Beach State's first hit of the series. 

The 6-8 sophomore is 3-4 with a 3.67 ERA. He has 29 strikeouts in 41.2 innings and allowed 17 earned runs.

LOOKING AT UCLA: UCLA is 26-10 overall and 11-7 in the Pac-12. The team had a four-game win streak snapped at Oregon State and isled by Tyler Heineman, who is hitting .405. Beau Amaral is the team's hit-leader with 52 while Trevor Brown has 31 RBI for the Bruins.

Slated to start is lefty Grant Watson, who owns a 7-1 record and 4.96 ERA. Watson has logged 52.2 innings and struck out 28 while giving up 29 earned runs.

THE SERIES: UCLA is 44-27-1 all-time against UC Irvine and the two teams have split their home-and-home series for the past five years.

LOOKING AT UC RIVERSIDE: UC Riverside is currently tied for fifth in the Big West at 4-5 and is 14-19 overall.

The Highlanders are led by Eddie Young, who is hitting .327 with 37 hits and is tied for 15 RBI. Vince Gonzalez tops the team in hits with 40 and shares the team lead with 15 runs batted in.

UCR opens the series with a southpaw on the mound with Dylan Stuart. Stuart is 4-4 with a 4.07 ERA. Stuart has registered 38 strikeouts in 59.2 innings and walked 13 while allowing 27 earned runs.

Right-hander Eddie Orozco takes the bump Saturday and is also 4-4 with a 2.31 earned run average. Orozco has 65 strikeouts in 62.1 innings and walked just 12 while giving up 16 earned runs.

Right-hander Trevor Frank closes the series Sunday and is 1-5 with a 3.78 ERA. Frank has fanned 28 in 52.1 innings and walked 13 while giving up 22 earned runs.

THE SERIES: UCI is 37-19 against the Highlanders. The Anteaters have captured three straight series wins against UCR.

 

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