College Roundup: UCI too much for San Diego

BASEBALL

UC Irvine 11, San Diego 3

SAN DIEGO — Four Anteaters combined for 13 of the team’s 16 hits in the nonconference triumph on Tuesday.

Sophomore first baseman Connor Spencer went four for four to raise his average from .408 to .430 and drove in one run.

Senior Scott Gottschling was three for four with four runs batted in while sophomore Taylor Sparks was three for four with three RBIs for the winners (21-8), who have won a season-best five straight.

Sophomore Chris Rabago was three for six with a home run and two RBIs for UCI, for which Mitch Merten pitched 4 1/3 innings to earn the victory.

San Diego is 19-13.

UCI begins a three-game home series against Big West Conference rival Cal State Northridge on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

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UC Irvine 9, Hawaii 0

IRVINE — Junior Andrew Morales had a perfect game through six innings, as three Anteaters combined for the shutout to complete a sweep of the three-game Big West Conference series on Sunday.

Morales, who improved to 7-0, allowed a single to open the seventh inning. He struck out six and walked none in seven innings to lower his earned-run average to 1.81.

Junior third baseman Taylor Sparks went two for four with two home runs and five runs batted in to pace UCI’s nine-hit attack. Sparks’ five homers lead the team.

Jimmy Litchfield and Kyle Hooper each pitched a scoreless inning for UCI (3-3 in conference).

Hawaii fell to 7-21, 3-3.

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WOMEN’S WATER POLO

UC Irvine 6, Cal State Northridge 4

IRVINE — Jillian Yocum made 13 saves to pace the No. 7-ranked Anteaters in the Big West Conference home game on Sunday.

Hannah Croghan and McKenna Mitchell had two goals apiece for UCI (16-8, 4-1 in conference).

Northridge fell to 20-10, 2-3.

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MEN’S TENNIS

UC Irvine 5, UC Santa Barbara 2

SANTA BARBARA — Ryan Cheung and Jonathan Hammel won in singles and doubles to pace the visiting Anteaters in the Big West Conference match on Sunday.

Cheung defeated Mbonisi Ndimande, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 1 singles, then teamed with Hammel to top the Gauchos, 8-2, at No. 1 doubles.

UCI is 5-15, 2-1 in conference.

UCSB is 8-9, 1-1.

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SOFTBALL

Doubleheader

COSTA MESA — Visiting Concordia swept Vanguard in Golden State Athletic Conference play on Monday.\

The Eagles won the first game, 12-1 and prevailed, 3-0, in the second game.

Breanne Gomez had a hit in each game and drove in the run for the Lions (30-20, 6-6 in conference), while Kari Bergerson was two for three in Game 2 for Vanguard.

The Lions had three hits in the first game, six in the second, as Concordia improved to 38-3, 12-0.

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ROWING

San Diego Crew Classic

SAN DIEGO — Orange Coast College finished third in the men’s varsity eight final and won the novice B final on Sunday to highlight locals competing.

OCC’s varsity boat completed the 2,000-meter course in six minutes, 9.42 seconds.

The victorious novice boat posted a time of 6:32.06, more than 11 seconds faster than runner-up UC Santa Barbara.

OCC was also third in the men’s lightweight eight (6:40.08), and the men’s novice eight (6:21.70)

The Newport Aquatic Center placed second in the junior varsity petite final in 7:14.63 and was third in the women’s masters final in 7:28.25.

UC Irvine finished third in the women’s Division II, III and club event.

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WOMEN’S GOLF

Long Beach State 304, UC Irvine 309

IRVINE — Senior Ronnie Valerio and freshman Lucuane Lee each shot 76 to lead the host Anteaters in the Big West Conference match on Monday at Strawberry Farms Golf Club.