The UC Irvine baseball team currently sits atop the Big West standings, bringing a 36-16 overall record into the final series of the regular season this weekend at Anteater Ballpark. The Anteaters have received contributions from across the roster, including redshirt senior Dylan Riddle who has appeared in 15 games this season out of the bullpen. In his five-year career with the 'Eaters, the lefty reliever has pitched in 72 games, recording a 4.28 ERA with 62 strikeouts over 73.2 innings.
 
We caught up with Dylan before the team's four-game series against Cal State Fullerton to find out why he decided to choose UC Irvine and discuss the impact his family has had on his success both on and off the diamond. 
 
Q: What about UCI's program ultimately made you choose to become an Anteater?
A: I believe that the overall history of this amazing program and the amazing coaching staff were big reasons I decided to become an Anteater. It has easily become one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life and I am so thankful to be a part of this amazing program. All of the coaches here at UCI have been a major reason that I really want to continue a career in coaching at the collegiate level. Their love and passion for the game has really made me want to stay in the college baseball community.
 
Q: Having grown up in a baseball family, can you describe the impact that your siblings and father have had on your success in the game thus far?
A: My family has been everything to me both on and off the field. From where I am at graduating from this great university and being able to pitch at the Division 1 level will always be because of my family. With my dad pitching for the Orioles organization, older brother for Chapman University, and younger brother playing at Saddleback, baseball has always been a major part of my family's life.
 
Q: What do you enjoy most about this year's team?
A: When it comes to this year's team, I believe the biggest thing that stands out to me that I have truly enjoyed has to be the relationships and the overall joy we bring to each other both on and off of the field. The chemistry that has been built amongst this team has truly been amazing to be a part of.
 
Q: What is your favorite memory on the diamond from any level throughout your baseball career?
A: Baseball has brought too many amazing memories throughout my life to narrow it down to one specific one. Hopefully in the next couple months we can create one that beats them all.
 
Q: Do you have any superstitions or routines on game day?
A: I have never been too superstitious when it comes to a game day. I will try to just keep a similar routine to make sure my body is ready to be at 100 percent on a daily basis and ready to go.
 
Q: Are there any professional baseball players that you look up to or try to model your game around?
A: I don't really have a specific professional baseball player that I try to model my game around from the physical standpoint, but from a mental point of view I really try to have a similar approach as Max Scherzer. He has a mentality on the mound that I believe every pitcher should try to model their approach after.
 
Q: What are you studying at UC Irvine? How did you first become interested in your field of study?
A: So I have finished my Bachelor's degree at UCI with a double major in Political Science & Sociology, with a minor in history. Political Science was the first major I studied and I became extremely interested in it back in 2016 during the election season.
 
Q: What are your career goals or plans after graduation? 
A: I am hoping to stay within the college baseball sphere in some manner and hopefully one day be able to be a pitching coach at the Division 1 level. I believe the coaching staff here at UCI has really helped me and taught me so much that I truly believe I could be successful coaching at the Division 1 level.
 
Q: What types of things you enjoy doing in your free time?
A: When it comes to my free time I love to golf and just spend time with family and friends. Golf has always been a way for me to escape for a little while and just relax while on the course. With the rest of my free time I typically find myself spending it a lot with my girlfriend Marina and with my family. Family is everything to me and always will be.
 
Q: If you had the opportunity to pitch against any current Major League hitter right now, who would you want to face and why?
A: It would probably have to be Keston Hiura just because I got to play with him for those few years, so I believe it would be fun to square off with him once again. I can't remember how I fared against him in all those intrasquads almost four years ago now, but it would be really fun to go toe-to-toe with a good friend.