THE SERIES

UC Irvine Anteaters (6-0, Big West 0-0) - Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic

Friday vs. San Diego Toreros (4-4) - 5:00 PM at Anteater Ballpark | ESPN+ | KUCI | Live Stats
Saturday vs. Michigan Wolverines (3-5) - 1:00 PM at Anteater Ballpark | ESPN+ | KUCI | Live Stats
Sunday vs. UCLA Bruins (4-3) - 3:00 PM at Dodger Stadium | KUCI | Live Stats

PITCHING PROBABLES
Friday: UCI LHP Nick Pinto vs. USD RHP Josh Randall
Saturday: UCI RHP Riley Kelly vs. MICH TBA
Sunday: UCI RHP Trevor Hansen vs. UCLA RHP Mikey Barnett

Gameday Page
Game Notes
Scout Pack

AROUND THE HORN
#20 - UCI is #20 according to Baseball America; UCI began 2024 at #25, the third time ranked under coach Orloff
49 - Caden Kendle's on-base streak from last season has hit 49 games, UCI's record is 52 set by Keston Hiura
12 - UCI is in the midst of a 12-game win streak dating back to 2023, the 5th streak of 10 or more in program history
1869 - Every one of the 1,869 at-bats for Anteaters in 2023 returns to the 2024 roster plus injured Woody Hadeen
 
LEADING OFF
 
+ The Anteaters finished their first road trip with a sweep at Tulane giving them a 6-0 start for just the third time in program history (2008: 8-0, 2011: 7-0).
+ UC Irvine collected win No. 1,400 in program history on Friday. UCI baseball has a .571 win percentage all-time.
+ Dating back to the end of 2023, UCI has built a 12-game winning streak. It's the program's fifth win streak all time of 10 or more games and fourth-longest behind streaks of 13, 15, and 28 consecutive wins.
+ The potent Anteater offense ranks among the nation's best ranking top 50 in batting, on-base, slugging, runs per game, HBP, and eighth nationally in sacrifice bunts. UCI tops the Big West in those categories as well as doubles, triples, and is hitting 33 points better than the second-best team.
+ The bats fueling the offense start with Luke Spillane hitting .474 ranking top five in the conference in all three slashlines and second in the nation with four sacrifice hits. Thomas McCaffrey's 1.000 slugging percentage and 10 RBIs top the Big West. Jo Oyama is top 10 in runs, RBIs, and slugging. Caden Kendle led the team hitting .385 last week and his 10 hits tops UCI. Myles Smith's 10 walks are second in the nation and the third-best .593 on-base in Big West
+ UCI's 3.50 ERA is 38th in the nation along with the 37th-best WHIP (1.26). David Utagawa ranks top 20 nationally with a 0.45 WHIP and allowing 2.7 hits per nine innings. UCI's two Rickys earned the team's first two saves starting with Ricky Tibbett getting the final five outs Friday and Ricky Ojeda going three innings Saturday
+ UC Irvine's defense is the highest ranked entering the week sixth in the nation with a 0.991 fielding percentage committing two errors in six games.  
+ Fifth-year Anteater starter Nick Pinto continued to deal with two wins in two starts. He continues to lead active NCAA pitchers with 48 career starts, and he picked up his 19th career win on Friday. Pinto has 10 strikeouts through 10.1 innings. After starting the year 10th on the program's career strikeout list, he's moved to seventh surpassing Trenton Denholm, Elliot Surrey, Justin Cassel, and now 15 behind Andre Pallante in sixth with 260.
+ Anteater freshmen continue to shine on the mound. Between the five arms, they're 4-0 with a save, an ERA of 2.70, and 21 strikeouts over 20 innings
Þ Ricky Ojeda dazzled Saturday night going the final three innings, picking up a save, and striking out five
Þ Brandon Luu scored his second win in his second appearance while tossing 2.1 scoreless frames and adding his first two collegiate strikeouts
Þ Trevor Hansen went far enough to earn his first career win Sunday and weathered a tough third inning in the process. His seven strikeouts are the high for the team on the season as well
+ The newcomers David Utagawa and Ricky Tibbett were finally touched up in Sunday's game, but together have a 3.08 ERA, have allowed eight total baserunners, collected 14 strikeouts, and registered two holds and a save.
 

SCOUTING THE TOREROS

San Diego and UC Irvine meet for the 115th time in their histories, the most against one non-conference opponent for UCI after their Tuesday matchup last week was rained out. UCI has the edge, 63-50-1, with 29 wins at home and wins in each of the last four games.

The Toreros started 2024 with a daunting trip to play at No. 16 Texas. They emerged with an extra-inning win Saturday but ultimately dropped the series. Following that was an extra-inning midweek win vs. UCSD, a home series win over Arizona, and a Tuesday loss at CSUN. They currently sport a tough pitching staff that averages nearly 12 strikeouts a game , and along with a .300 average, they play small ball with 10 total sacrifices as a team

SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES

Michigan and UC Irvine meet for just the third time all-time, but the second season in a row. A rain-sogged early portion of 2023 saw the teams bump up their start time only for the 'Eaters to rudely pound their visitors, 15-3. The teams were set to meet in 2019 as well, but the elements were the deciding factor there. The first meeting in 2002 went Michigan's way, 4-2, as all the meetings have come in Anteater Ballpark.

The Wolverines have been battered to start 2024 splitting a four-game series against Western Michigan in Phoenix, and then dropping three games in Arlington to Oklahoma State, No. 7 Oregon State, and No. 2 Arkansas. They took down USC on Tuesday and still take on LMU Wednesday before a Friday night tilt with UCLA and Saturday afternoon with the Anteaters.

SCOUTING THE BRUINS

UCLA and UC Irvine meet for the 96th time in their histories and third time on a neutral site (2006 Malibu Regional, 2009 at Minute Maid Park) when they play in Dodger Stadium Sunday afternoon. UCI played there once before on a Tuesday in 2012 vs. Pepperdine. Lately, the 'Eaters have had the better of the Bruins winning four straight including both 2023 matchups by a combined 24-7 score.

The Bruins in 2024 were up, sweeping Gonzaga at home, before coming back down being swept on a tough trip to No. 5 TCU. Midweek slate began with a comeback win vs. Nevada before hosting Long Beach State on Wednesday night