No. 21 UC Irvine Travels to San Diego State, Hosts UC Davis

Apr. 23: No. 21 UC Irvine (25-11) vs. San Diego State (19-20) - Tony Gwynn Stad.
Apr. 26-28: UC Irvine (25-11, 8-5) vs. UC Davis (15-22, 3-9) - Anteater Ballpark

Game 37: Mitch Merten (3-1, 4.96) vs. LHP Mike Robards (2-0, 2.90)
6:00 PM - Internet Only/Mark Roberts

Game 38:  RHP Andrew Thurman (4-3, 2.53) vs. RHP Harry Stanwyck (3-5, 5.13)
6:30 PM - Internet/Mark Roberts

Game 39:  LHP Matt Whitehouse (3-4, 3.22) vs. RHP Spencer Koopmans (1-5, 5.62)
1:00 PM - Internet/Mark Roberts

Game 40:  RHP Andrew Morales (9-0, 1.34) vs. RHP Harry Wolf (2-2, 5.05)
1:00 PM - Radio/Mark Roberts

Game Notes: UC Irvine won its third Big West series and currently sits in a three-way tie for third in the conference standings at 7-5.

  • The Anteaters out-hit Pacific 22-12 but lost the game 14-13. UCI then was out-hit 7-4 Sunday but rebounded with a 1-0 win to seal the series.
  • The Anteaters, who hadn't allowed nine runs in a game all year, gave up a season-high nine runs in the fourth inning against Pacific.
  • The offense scored in double-figures for the fifth time this season Saturday and then was held to one run for the fourth time Sunday.
  • The team suffered its first extra-inning affair loss and dropped the first game against a ranked opponent in a 6-4 defeat to No. 11 UCLA.
  • UCI is tied for first in the conference in batting average at .289 and second in ERA at 2.74.

MORALES IS BIG WEST'S WINNER: Andrew Morales was named the Big West Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season after an 8.1 shutout performance of Pacific.

  • The right-hander boasts a 1.34 ERA and climbed to second in the Big West behind CSF's Thomas Eshelman.
  • Morales' nine wins tops the conference and he is second in the nation in victories.
  • He is tied for fifth in the conference with 16 batters struck out looking. 
  • He has dealt 22.2 consecutive scoreless innings and has pitched in four combined shutouts.
  • Morales has posted 50 strikeouts in 60.1 innings while holding opposing teams to a .221 batting average.

SPARKS ON FIRE: Taylor Sparks batted .529 with nine hits and six RBI in four games last week to lead the team.

  • The third baseman had a career-high five hits in a perfect 5 for 5 day Saturday.
  • He drove in the game-winning run Friday with a two-out, run-scoring hit and posted a pair of three-RBI games last week.
  • Sparks is second on the team with a .342 average but tops the team in RBI with 31 and home runs with six.
  • He is sixth in the Big West in average, fifth in RBI, fifth in hits (50) and fourth in homers (6).

J-MAC ON THE ATTACK: Jerry McClanahan continues to be a consistent threat at the plate after totaling five hits and four RBI in four games last week.

  • McClanahan batted .357 and has reached safely in 10 consecutive games to lead the team.
  • The catcher/designated hitter logged a hit and an RBI against UCLA and then delivered two more hits in the first two games of the series at Pacific.
  • McClanahan has also been a steady force behind the plate, throwing out nine of 13 baserunners for a .692 average. 

TAYLOR WITH THE GAME-WINNER: Dominique Taylor, who is tied for second on the team in RBI came up clutch in the key Sunday finale against Pacific.

  • The outfielder drove in Mikey Duarte with a two-out single for the game's only run.
  • Taylor batted .333 last week going 6 for 18 with five RBI and five runs.
  • The junior leads the team with 17 multiple-hit games and nine multiple-RBI games.
  • He had four RBI in the 14-13 loss to Pacific for his second-highest out-put of the year.

THURMAN PICKS UP ANOTHER WIN: Thurman gave UCI a strong start and the offense did the rest as the right-hander earned his fourth victory.

  • The righty, working with a 5-0 lead, shut out Pacific through 5.2 innings.
  • Thurman, who surrendered a single run in the sixth and three in the eighth, struck out four and walked two while scattering six hits.
  • The four earned runs were the most allowed by Thurman this year.
  • Thurman is currently ranked 64th in the nation in WHIP.
  • He is slated to start the series against UC Davis Friday.

SHAEFFER MAKES 'EM COUNT: Senior Ronnie Shaeffer had four hits in four games last week but three were for extra bases as the catcher doubled three times and drove in four runs.

  • Shaeffer had two of UCI's four RBI against UCLA and then doubled twice in a 3 for 5 outing to go along with two runs batted in Saturday.
  • He is batting .306 and is tied for second with 28 RBI.
  • Shaeffer is ranked 45th in the "Toughest to Strikeout" category and has been set down just 10 times in 147 at-bats.

AZTECS LOOK TO SNAP STREAK: San Diego State, 19-20 overall, look to end a three-game losing streak against UCI this week.

  • Lefty Mike Robards is scheduled to start for the Aztecs. He is 2-0 with a 2.90 ERA and has struck out 20 in 31 innings.
  • Robards has walked just nine and allowed 10 earned runs while holding opposing teams to a .241 average.
  • Jake Romanski tops the team with a .350 batting average.
  • Tim Zier is the team's hit leader with 51 and has recorded 26 RBI for a team-high.
  • UCI trails SDSU 47-32-1 in the series records but the Anteaters have won six straight against the Aztecs.

AGGIES ON THE RISE: UC Davis is 15-22 overall and 3-9 in the Big West.

  • The Aggies swept UC Riverside in conference action over the weekend.
  • Davis is batting .288 as a team and is led by Steven Patterson, who has a team-high 46 hits, .338 clip and is second with 26 RBI.
  • The Aggies will feature a trio of right-handers on the mound this weekend.
  • Harry Stanwyck is slated to open the series and is 3-5 with a 5.13 ERA. He has 30 strikeouts in 52.2 innings of work and has walked 23 while allowed 40 runs on 63 hits.
  • Spencer Koopmans will handle the start Saturday and is 1-5 with a 5.62 ERA. Koopmans has 25 strikeouts in 48 innings and allowed 35 runs.
  • Harry Wolf owns a 2-2 mark and 5.05 ERA and will be handed the ball Sunday. Wolf has 13 strikeouts in 46.1 innings and given up 32 runs.
  • UCI holds a 21-6 series lead over the Aggies but were swept at Davis last year.

 

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