AROUND THE HORN

1st - The Anteaters finished 1st in college baseball with the best road winning percentage at 19-6
52 - UCI led the nation in sacrifice flies with 52, and are top-10 in HBP (3rd), least BB issued (5th), and OBP (9th)
8.1 - The offense averaged 8.1 runs a game setting program
records with 445 runs, 304 walks, and 53 homers
6th - Anthony Martinez earned an invite to the U.S. Collegiate National Team, the 6th Anteater to do so

 

BATTING AROUND

    
+ UCI finished its season 38-17 with the fourth-most wins on the West Coast and second-best winning percentage.
+ The Anteaters won 20 games away from home which included the best road winning percentage in the nation at .760 going 19-6 in addition to a 1-1 record on a neutral site
+ UC Irvine finished with an RPI of 45, the highest RPI team not to earn an at-large spot in the NCAA Tournament. UCI played 30 games against RPI Top 50 winning 18
+ The 'Eaters finish 9-2 in midweek matchups with a 2.70 staff ERA. UCI also went 8-1 against the Pac-12 outscoring them 81-42 and 10-3 overall against Power 5 programs.
+ The 'Eaters led the nation with 52 sacrifice flies. UCI's previous season high was 34 in a season
+ Nationally, the 'Eaters finished among the leaders in HBP (3rd), least walks issued per 9 innings (5th), on-base percentage (9th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (13th), sac bunts (13th), winning percentage (20th), ERA (23rd), runs per game (27th), WHIP (34th), batting average (36th), walks (46th), and triples (48th).
+ Nationally, Anteaters finished among the leaders including Anthony Martinez 15th in hits per game, 27th in hits, and 29th in batting average, Will Bermudez 18th in HBP, Jo Oyama 26th in triples, Caden Kendle 47th in runs, Chase Call 31st in walks, Michael Stanford 46th in ERA, and Jacob King 42nd in saves
+ Anteaters led the Big West starting with Anthony Martinez in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, RBI, and at-bats, Caden Kendle in runs , Will Bermudez in hit by pitch, Jo Oyama in stolen bases and triples, Chase Call in walks, and Luke Spillane in sacrifice hits. As a team, UCI led the Big West in runs, hits, walks, HBP, on-base percentage, and sac flies and sac hits.
 

SEEING IT WELL

+ The Anteater offense broke a few single-season records including runs scored with 445 (previously 443), 52 home runs (previously 45), and walks at 304 (previously 294) which included a program record 28 runs and a 26-run margin of victory in a 28-1 win over UC Riverside May 25th
+ Anthony Martinez was the Big West batting champ at .394, adding a three-game and four-game HR streak this year, the UCI true freshman leader in hits with 91, and the seventh 'Eater to reach 60 RBI in a season. He was rewarded with All-American and All-West Region nods in addition to UCI's second Big West Freshman Field Player of the Year.
+ Caden Kendle has reached in 54 of 55 games this season. He's reached in 43 straight games topping his 38-game streak between 2022 and 2023. He has scored a run in 16 straight games helping him achieve co-Big West Field Player of the Year and All-West Region Second Team
+ Will Bermudez was a finalist for an ABCA Rawlings Gold Glove as a second baseman committing two errors in 213 chances.
+ The home runs were flying with four in a game during the final week of the season tying a record at home. Anthony Martinez and Chase Call each had 11, fifth-most in a UCI season. Caden Kendle has 14 in his career now putting him 11th all-time
+ Nick Pinto picked up his 17th career win in his second straight home start where he was perfect through five innings. He breached the top 10 in program history in strikeouts with 235 now as he's pitched in 51 games, made 46 starts, and has a 3.90 ERA over 254 IP
+ Anteater starters came on late with a combined 10-0, 1.54 ERA between Michael Stanford, Nick Pinto, and Andre Antone. The bullpen carried the load with 19 wins, 12 saves, and a 3.84 ERA over the season
+ Jacob King reached 85 career appearances, eighth in UCI history, and became the fifth Anteater with 20 career saves. Tanner Brooks added 70 appearances to stand 17th all-time.
+ Luke Spillane finished the season as the active leader in many categories including 166 career games played and became the 19th Anteater with 30 career steals. Over the last weekend, he collected 100 career runs scored and RBIs. He sits top 15 all-time in program history in sacrifice hits, top 10 in hit by pitch, and his 14 career sacrifice flies put him second all-time.
 

FOUL TIPS

+ 14 Anteaters are playing pro ball with five as high as  Triple-A and two more  in Double-A. Calvin Faucher with the Tampa Bay Rays and Andre Pallante with the St. Louis Cardinals were each on Opening Day rosters along with Royce Lewis on Twins IL.
+ Andre Pallante represented Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic this year in their run to the Quarterfinals
+ Anthony Martinez was invited to train with the U.S. Collegiate National Team this summer in Cary, N.C., the sixth Anteater to get the call.
 

TROPHY CASE

          
+ The 'Eaters were recognized nationally with one All-American as Anthony Martinez sewed up All-American and Freshman All-American nods from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. In addition, he and Caden Kendle secured All-West Region accolades
+ More national notoriety came on the defensive side with Will Bermudez being named a finalist for the ABCA Rawlings Gold Glove Award as a second baseman committing two errors in 213 chances on the year.
+ All-Big West honors started with two majors awards for Caden Kendle, co-Field Player of the Year, and Anthony Martinez, Freshman Field Player of the Year, as the duo sparked the high-flying Anteater offense. They were recognized on the All-Big West First Team and were joined by Second-Teamers Dub Gleed and Jo Oyama and an honorable mention trio of Chase Call, Thomas McCaffrey, and Michael Stanford
+ UCI scored five Big West Player of the Week awards with two each going to Anthony Martinez and Nick Pinto with Michael Stanford the first of his career for the team's fifth. Martinez also earned National Player of the Week March 6 after hitting .611 with 10 hits, 10 runs, and three HRs.