No. 23 UC Irvine Hosts No. 22 Cal Poly In Big West Battle

May 10-12: UC Irvine (29-12, 11-7) vs. Cal Poly (31-14, 11-7) - Anteater Ballpark

Game 45:  RHP Andrew Thurman (4-3, 2.64) vs. RHP  Joey Wagman (10-2, 2.82)
6:30 PM - Internet Only/Mark Roberts & Tim Becwar

Game 46:  LHP Matt Whitehouse (4-4, 3.12) vs. LHP Matt Imhof (4-3, 2.34)
1:00 PM - KUCI 88.9 FM/Mark Roberts & Tim Becwar

Game 47:  RHP Andrew Morales (9-0, 1.60) vs. RHP Bryan Granger (5-3, 4.88)
1:00 PM - Internet/Mark Roberts & Tim Becwar

Game Notes: UCI suffered its second Big West series loss and is now tied for third in the conference standings with Cal Poly at 11-7. Cal State Northridge is second at 14-4 while the Titans sit in first at 15-3.

  • The battle for third place in the Big West pits No. 22 Cal Poly against No. 23 UC Irvine.
  • UCI tops the Big West with a .285 batting average but the Mustangs edge the Anteaters in team ERA at 3.20.
  • The Anteaters look to turn things around after going 5-5 in the last 10 games.
  • UCI is 12-4 when scoring in the first inning and has out-scored the opponent 34-10 in that frame.
  • The team has battled in tight games, holding an 8-5 record in one-run games and is 7-6 in contests with a two run differential.

RAINS WASH OUT TUESDAY CONTEST: The UC Irvine-USC baseball games was postponed due to weather and has been rescheduled for May 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Anteater Ballpark. Tickets purchased for the May 7 contest will be valid May 21.

GOTTSCHLING CARRIES OFFENSE: Scott Gottschling had his best offensive weekend in Santa Barbara after driving in a team-high six runs for the 'Eaters.

  • Gottschling doubled, scored and drove in a run in UCI's Friday win and then came up big Saturday with his second career home run to tie the game for the 'Eaters with a three-run shot.
  • He delivered again Sunday by putting UCI on the board with his second round-tripper of the series, cutting UCSB's lead to one.
  • Gottschling raised his batting average to .248 and has 29 hits and 15 RBI.
  • The right-fielder also made the top defensive play of the weekend, preventing a run Sunday by making a sliding catch on a shallow fly ball and then throwing out the runner, who was attempting to tag from third, at home.

TAYLOR FINDS HIS STRIDE: Dominique Taylor, who was 1 for 18 two weeks ago, rebounded in a big way by leading the team with a .385 average in four games last week.

  • The centerfielder was 5 for 13 with two doubles and two runs scored, posting at least one hit in all four contests.
  • Saturday, Taylor was 1 for 2 but reached safely in four of five plate appearances after drawing two walks and getting hit by the pitch to go along with a double.
  • He doubled again Sunday to move into a tie for first on the team with Connor Spencer with 13.

SPENCER, SPARKS SIT AMONG BIG WEST BEST: The sophomore duo of Connor Spencer and Taylor Sparks continues to lead the offense with both batters pacing the team in batting average and hits.

  • Spencer hit .375 last week, batting 6 for 16 with two RBI and four runs scored.
  • Spencer was 2 for 4 with an RBI against UCLA and added a hit in the series opener against the Gauchos. He capped the weekend by posting a 3 for 5 day with an RBI Sunday.
  • Spencer continues to lead the Big West with a .383 average with UC Davis' Nick Lynch sitting second at .370. Coming into Anteater Ballpark this weekend is Mustang, Denver Chavez, who is a close third at .366.
  • Spencer also tops the charts in on-base percentage at .467 and is tied for fourth with 13 doubles.
  • Sparks also fired off six hits last week, batting 6 for 19 for a .316 clip.
  • The third baseman was 4 for 5, including belting his team-high eighth home run to go along with two RBI and three runs scored Friday.
  • He tacked on a double Saturday and Sunday and is one shy of becoming the fourth Anteater to reach double-figures in doubles with nine.
  • In Big West games only, Sparks holds a .411 average to lead all players while UC Santa Barbara's Woody Woodward is second with .391. Sparks also paces the league in slugging (.685), hits (30) and RBI (23).

BROCK HOLDS DOWN GAUCHOS FOR WIN: Evan Brock pitched a shutout inning against UC Santa Barbara Friday and emerged with the win to improve to 2-1.

  • With UCI trailing 6-3, Brock entered in the fifth for Andrew Thurman and held the Gauchos scoreless. He then benefitted from seven-run sixth by the 'Eater offense.
  • Brock is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA and has struck out seven in 10.2 innings. He has walked just four and allowed four earned runs.
  • Opposing teams are hitting .200 against him. Brock has allowed one run in the last three appearances.

THURMAN TO OPEN SERIES AGAINST MUSTANGS: Andrew Thurman will take on right-hander Joey Wagman in the Friday opener against Cal Poly.

  • Thurman looks to bounce back after logging his shortest stint of the season, a four-inning start, against UC Santa Barbara.
  • The junior surrendered a season-high six earned runs to the Gauchos and struck out three while giving up 10 hits.
  • The last time Thurman pitched less than five innings was in 2012, when he tossed 4.1 frames against Pacific, giving up three runs on five hits.
  • Thurman is 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA and has struck out 65 in 75.2 innings.

WHITEHOUSE DROPS BELOW .500: Matt Whitehouse pitched 6.2 innings but was tagged for five runs to fall to 4-5.

  • The lefty pitched two shutout innings to begin the game but an error and a balk in the third led to two runs.
  • UCI managed to tie the game at 3-3 but single runs in the sixth and seventh put the game out of reach for the 'Eaters who left 12 stranded and were held to five hits.
  • Whitehouse holds a 3.33 ERA and has 25 strikeouts in 32 innings. He has walked just nine batters and is ranked 52nd in the nation with a 4.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
  • Southpaws Whitehouse and Matt Imhof will oppose each other on the mound Saturday.

MORALES STUCK AT NINE: Win number 10 has been elusive for Sunday starter Andrew Morales.

  • The junior pitched six innings and yielded four runs on nine hits while striking out seven.
  • He did not walk a batter and was leading 6-4 before handing the ball over to the Anteater pen in the eighth.
  • Morales did not figure in the decision and remains undefeated at 9-0.
  • He has struck out 61 batters in 73.1 innings while allowing 16 earned runs.
  • Morales will face right-hander Bryan Granger Sunday.

No. 22 MUSTANGS BRING IN THREE-GAME WIN STREAK: Cal Poly is 31-14 and tied for third in the Big West at 11-7.

  • The Mustangs swept UC Riverside last weekend, out-scoring the Highlanders 11-5.
  • Cal Poly is led by Denver Chavez, who is batting .366 with 68 hits, 11 doubles and has stolen 11 bases.
  • Three Mustangs have driven in 30 runs this year with Nick Torres topping the list with 36. Brian Mundell is on his heels with 32 while Jimmy Allen is third with 30.
  • The offense is fourth in the Big West with a .381 batting average but is third with 427 hits.
  • The pitching staff edged out UCI for second in ERA at 3.20 in the Big West and tops all teams with 371 strikeouts, including 97 looking.
  • Right-hander Joey Wagman brings a 10-2 record to the mound Friday. Tied for first in wins, Wagman has posted 84 strikeouts in 83 innings while walking just 23.
  • Lefty Matt Imhof, slated to start Saturday, owns the team's best ERA at 2.34 and has fanned 68 in 77 innings of work. He has walked 24 and allowed 20 earned runs.
  • Bryan Granger, set to close out the series, is 5-3 with a 4.88 ERA. The right-hander has logged 27 strikeouts in 55.1 innings and allowed 30 earned runs.
  • UCI holds a 20-16 series lead over Cal Poly but were swept by the Mustangs last year at Baggett Stadium. 

 

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