UC Irvine Hosts Lions, Travels to Portland

Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark
Portland, Ore.

Feb. 25
Game 8 - 6:30 PM
vs. LMU
(L) Evan Manarino vs. (L) Brandon Horth
Live stats
KUCI 88.9 FM
Tickets

 Feb. 28
Game 9 -  2:00 PM
at Portland
(L) Elliot Surrey vs. (L) Travis Radke
Live stats
KUCI 88.9 FM

Mar. 1
Game 10 -  1:00 PM
At Portland
(R) Andrew Morales vs. (R) Kurt Yinger
Live stats
Internet Only

Mar. 2
Game 11  - 12:00 PM
At Portland
(R) Evan Brock vs. (R) Austin Kelly
Live stats
Internet Only

 QUICK HITS

  • Hall of Fame coach Mike Gillespie won his 1000th Division I game to improve to 1000-593-2.
  • The Anteaters own a 1.46 ERA, second-best in the Big West behind Cal Poly, which sports a 1.16 earned run average.
  • The win over Arizona State gives UCI a 2-0 record against the Sun Devils on the campus of UC Irvine. The Anteaters won 6-5 in 1974, the last time ASU made the trip and the year of UCI's second Division II national championship.
  • Sunday's game has been moved from 1:00 p.m. to a noon first pitch.

SOUTHPAWS, THE SEQUEL

  • After a solid start against Bakersfield, lefty Evan Manarino will make his second start of the year Tuesday against Loyola Marymount and will again be opposed by a lefty in junior Brandon Horth.
  • Manarino struck out a personal-best nine batters last Wednesday, while holding the Roadrunners to two runs (one earned) on six hits in six innings.
  • The junior is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and has fanned 13 batters in nine innings.

 SURREY STRIKES OUT CAREER HIGH, STARTS FRIDAY

  • Elliot Surrey matched Manarino's nine with nine strikeouts of his own last Friday against Wright State for a career-high.
  • Surrey, who is scheduled to be opposed by lefty Travis Radke Friday, yielded an early run in the first to the Raiders and then settled down to shut down WSU over the next four innings.
  • Surrey dropped his ERA to 3.00 and has struck out 12 batters in nine innings of work.
  • He is holding the opposition to a .182 batting average in two starts.

MORALES TOPS BIG WEST

  • Morales and Hawaii's Matt Cooper have not allowed an earned run and top the Big West in ERA.
  • Morales is tied for third in the league with 14 innings pitched and sixth in strikeouts with 13.
  • The right-hander took on No. 18 Arizona State and out-dueled Ryan Kellogg by striking out five in seven innings and holding the Sun Devils to four hits.
  • Morales is slated to start Saturday against the Pilots.

BROCK-STACHE SUNDAY

  • With fans sporting fake mustaches in support of Evan Brock last Sunday, the right-hander did not disappoint, pitching six innings and holding Long Beach State to two runs on six hits while striking out five.
  • Brock gave up a single run on a sacrifice fly in the first and yielded a second run on a sacrifice in the sixth.
  • At one point, Brock struck out five consecutive LBSU batters en route to earning his second win of the year.
  • Brock is expected to close out the series Sunday and owns a 1.38 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched.

PALMER DANCING UP THE CHARTS

  • Sophomore Grant Palmer leads the Anteaters in hits (11) and is fourth in the Big West with a .458 batting average.
  • The designated hitter was 7 for 15 last week with three runs scored and an RBI.
  • Palmer unveiled his slick moves Saturday. Tagging on a fly ball to right against ASU, he looked to be out on a strong throw by the Sun Devils, but he skirted around the catcher to avoid the tag and then lunged to slap home plate and score the fifth run in a 5-2 win.

ANTEATERS CALL FOR MOORE

  • Right-hander Sam Moore made two appearances last week and locked up two saves to lead the Big West with three.
  • Moore struck out three and held Bakersfield to one hit in 2.2 innings and then was called again against ASU in which he tossed two innings and limited the Sun Devils to a hit.
  • With four appearances, Moore is in a seven-way tie for first in the conference in appearances made.

LITCHFIELD MOVES INTO TIE FOR FOURTH

  • Jimmy Litchfield also made two appearances last week, logging stints against Wright State and Long Beach State.
  • The lefty did not allow a hit against the Raiders in 1.2 innings of relief and he was called out on Sunday to close the game against the Dirtbags.
  • Litchfield struck out two Dirtbags and yielded a hit in three innings for his first save.
  • Litchfield now sits in a tie for fourth in the UCI career records with 93 appearances. Bo Kent, who pitched from 1983-86 is in third with 97.

ABOUT THE LIONS

  • Loyola Marymount is 2-5 overall after falling in four straight last week.
  • The Lions dropped a 9-2 decision at San Diego State and then suffered a sweep to No. 11 Oregon at home.
  • The team is led by Austin Miller, who boasts a .391 batting average with nine hits, including four doubles and two triples.
  • Starting on the mound for the Lions is lefty Brandon Horth, who is 0-1. He has logged 1.1 innings and allowed four runs on five hits.
  • UCI leads the series 41-33-3. In 2013, the Anteaters earned a 10-3 victory at LMU.

ABOUT PORTLAND

  • Portland opened the season at 2-5.
  • The Pilots handed Kansas State a loss and then split with UC Davis while dropping a single game to Saint Mary's at the Saint Mary's Tournament.
  • Bo Cornish tops the team with a .333 average, batting 7 for 21 with six runs scored, three doubles and a home run.
  • Cody Lenahan is the team's RBI leader with six runs batted in on nine hits and is hitting .300.
  • Left-hander Travis Radke is due to open the series Friday. Radke is 0-1 with a 2.89 ERA and has struck out eight in 9.1 innings while giving up just three earned runs.
  • The Pilots will then follow up with a pair of right-handers in Kurt Yinger and Austin Kelly.
  • Yinger dropped to 0-1 after a loss to UC Davis. He has logged 6.1 innings of work.
  • Kelly is also 0-1 and holds a 2.35 ERA after allowing two runs in 7.2 innings in two appearances.
  • UCI holds an 8-4 series lead against Portland. The two teams met up in 2013 with the 'Eaters winning three of four games at Anteater Ballpark.

 

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