Fresno State Scores a Pair of 13s to Sweep UCI

Sunday was a prime example of the kind of day Ernie Banks described in his famous quotation, “It’s a great day for two.”

On an afternoon that featured a picturesque clear blue sky, a slight breeze and a mild temperature, it indeed seemed a perfect day to play a doubleheader at Anteater Field.

Except to the Anteaters.

Fresno State, the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn.’s North division leader, dominated both games against UC Irvine Sunday, winning by scores of 13-2 and 13-1, to complete a three-game sweep of the Anteaters this weekend.

With six games remaining on their regular season schedule, the Bulldogs (19-5 in PCAA contests), who have won five straight and 12 of their last 13, clinched at least a share of the PCAA North title with the victories over UCI. They will head back to Fresno to close out their schedule.

Meanwhile, the Anteaters (8-12) have all but been eliminated from the South division race.

“We couldn’t put together nine good innings,” UCI Coach Mike Gerakos said. “We battled tough two-thirds of the way through, but then we fell apart.”

The Anteaters did actually start out both games fairly strongly, but once they were forced to consult their bullpen for help, the problems began.

In the first game, they took a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning, and entered the seventh trailing by only a run. With one out in the seventh, UCI starting pitcher Craig Brink surrendered a single to Fresno State designated hitter Steve Bates. This was followed by an RBI double by first baseman David Studdert, at which point Gerakos brought in Lanny DeRose, the first of a series of relievers.

DeRose failed to get out any of the four batters he faced, and the next two Anteaters to take the mound, Brett Martin and Damon Carr, were only slightly more successful. By the time the Fresno hitters were through battering them in the eighth, UCI was down by 11 runs.

The Anteaters used up three relievers trying to stifle the Bulldogs’ bats in the second game, and again were unsuccessful. With the score tied, 1-1, after three innings, Fresno sent 12 batters to the plate against three different UCI pitchers in an eight-run fourth inning to break open the contest.

UCI starter Robbie Johnson seemed in control of the inning with two outs and a runner on second base, but he then yielded three straight hits and a walk. His replacement, David Trussell, allowed four more Bulldogs to get on base before Bo Kent came in and finally got the third out.

“We’ve been doing good all year (in relief pitching),” Gerakos said. “But today we were doing good hitting their bats.”

“I think hitting’s kind of contagious,” Fresno State Coach Bob Bennett said. “One guy gets something going, and pretty soon you bust the whole game open.”

Bennett’s theory didn’t seem to hold true for the Anteaters, who left nine runners on base in the opener and produced a mere three hits in the nightcap.

“When you play a ballclub like Fresno,” Gerakos said, “you’re not going to get many opportunities. So when you get the opportunities, you have to be sure you take advantage of them.”

Much of UCI’s lack of offensive production undoubtedly can be attributed to injuries that were sustained in Saturday’s game by second baseman Ed Clark and shortstop Adam Ging, the team’s leading hitter.

Clark popped his shoulder out of its socket, which has been a recurring problem for him this season. He should be returning to action within the next few games, Gerakos said. However, the coach was uncertain about the severity of Ging’s injury, which occurred when his right knee buckled underneath him. He is scheduled to be examined by the team doctor today.