Orange County College Baseball : UCI’s 8-Run Seventh Finishes Off Fresno State

To understand the UC Irvine baseball team’s offensive style this season, one need only look at the seventh inning of Sunday’s 16-9 Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. victory over Fresno State at Irvine.

Irvine scored eight runs in the seventh off four pitchers to break a 7-7 tie. But it was hardly a power outburst.

The Anteaters (2-1, 14-14-1) needed a two-run double, five RBI singles, an RBI ground out and 35 minutes to score the eight runs.

UC Irvine, which had 18 hits, isn’t a power team. The Anteaters have only 10 home runs in 29 games.

“We’re still waiting for that first conference home run,” Coach Mike Gerakos said with a laugh. “. . . We can’t get bored with singles. Guys can’t start thinking, ‘I have a single, now I can go for a double.’ ”

Gary Kline opened the seventh for UCI with a walk and was doubled to third by John Seeburger. Pinch-hitter Marcus Robinson was hit by a pitch by loser John Salles (7-5) to load the bases.

Chris Gallego then singled to score Kline and put UC Irvine ahead, 8-7. Don Nicholson grounded into a fielder’s choice, and Seeburger scored.

Mark Webster, Tracy Shanahan, Rory Valasek and Mike Sugar followed with consecutive RBI singles. After Kline flied to left, Seeburger doubled for the second time in the inning, this time to the wall in center field, to drive home Valasek and Sugar.

Salles also took the loss Friday as Irvine defeated Fresno State, 7-3, in the opening game of the three-game series. Fresno State (1-2, 19-14) won Saturday, 4-1.

Seeburger, a junior transfer from Saddleback College who plays first base, was 4 for 5 with three doubles and two RBIs. He was 6 for 13 in the series.

Fresno State took a 2-0 lead in the first. UC Irvine made it 2-1 before the rally was stopped by a triple play in the bottom of the first.

Jeff Oberdank doubled home Webster for UCI’s first run, then Valasek walked to put runners on first and second.

Sugar lined to first baseman Scott Blechman, who stepped on first to force Valasek and threw to shortstop Shawn Gilbert to force Oberdank at second.

The victory went to Kevin Kandalaft (1-2), who replaced starter Dean Douty in the fourth. Kandalaft pitched five-plus innings, giving up three runs. In the ninth, he was relieved by Mitch Parrott, who got the final out.

In other PCAA play:

Cal State Fullerton 5, UC Santa Barbara 2--Keith Kaub hit a two-run home run and a pair of RBI singles to lead the Titans (2-1, 21-11) at Santa Barbara. Fullerton is ranked 10th and Santa Barbara 13th by the Baseball America Poll.

Larry Casian, a senior left-hander, pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts for the victory. It was the 15th complete game for the staff.

The only runs Casian (4-1) gave up were back-to-back bases-empty home runs to Joe Kemp and Erik Johnson in the seventh after Fullerton had taken a 5-0 lead.

Fullerton took a 2-0 lead in the fourth after Greg Mannion and Mike Ross singled to open the inning. Tony Trevino sacrificed and Andy Mota grounded out to score Mannion. Kaub followed with a two-out single to score Ross.

Mota got on base on a fielder’s choice and scored on Kaub’s fourth home run of the season in the sixth. Kaub singled home Trevino in the seventh for the final Fullerton run.

Santa Barbara is 1-2, 15-12-2.