COLLEGE ROUNDUP : UC Irvine Holds Off Cal to Win, 9-7

Osmar DeChavez had two hits, drove in three runs and scored three times as UC Irvine defeated California, 9-7, in a nonconference baseball game Monday at Irvine.

In the seventh, DeChavez collided with the Cal catcher while scoring from second base on a sacrifice fly. Both benches cleared after the collision but no punches were thrown and no one was ejected.

The Anteaters (21-10) led, 9-3, before Cal scored four in the ninth. The Bears’ rally ended when Mike Lawn took a called third strike with runners on first and third.

Al Rodriguez went three for four with two RBIs; Shelby Niss went three for four with two RBIs, and Chris Gallego extended his hitting streak to 11 games for the Anteaters. Irvine plays host to USC at 2:30 today.

Cal dropped to 13-20.

In nonconference women’s tennis:

Cal State Fullerton 5, Brown 4--Fullerton Colleen Duignan, after a three-week layoff because of a pinched nerve in her back, returned to defeat Jill Dunkel, 1-6, 6-1, 6-1, and also teamed with Caroline Sporer at No. 2 doubles to defeat Terri Esterowitz and Dunkel, 6-4, 6-3. The Titans are 11-10.