Kirker, Cats fall in opener
GLENDALE — The following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level.
Baillie Kirker (Crescenta Valley High, 2009) freshman infielder, University of Arizona softball: Kirker, the reigning All-Area Player of the Year, and the Wildcats kicked off the NCAA Softball World Series against Pacific Athletic Conference rival-UCLA on Monday night.
Kirker started at first base and struck out twice in Arizona’s 6-5 loss in eight innings. She struck out on a full count in the second before striking out again in the fourth on a nine-pitch plate appearance. She was removed in the sixth for a pinch hitter.
UCLA’s Megan Langenfeld hit a game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Arizona scored three runs in the top of the seventh to grab a 5-4 advantage, but the Bruins responded with a run in their half of the inning.
Tenth-seeded Arizona (52-13) will look to extend the best-of-three series to a deciding game when they face fifth-seeded UCLA (49-11) at 5 p.m. PDT today. The game will be shown live on ESPN2.
Through Monday, Kirker is batting .172 (25 for 145) with three doubles, seven home runs and 27 runs batted in.
Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) senior pitcher, UC Irvine baseball: Bergman, a right-hander, and the Anteaters saw their season wrap up Sunday night. UC Irvine suffered a 6-2 loss to top-seeded UCLA in the Los Angeles Regional at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Irvine finished at 39-21 and 17-7 in the Big West Conference for second place.
Bergman, a former All-Area Player of the Year, didn’t appear in the UCLA contest. His final collegiate performance came Saturday, when he pitched five innings against Kent State in a 19-9 win.
Bergman allowed one earned run on five hits and a walk and left the game with a 15-1 lead. His scoreless innings streak ended at 27 2/3 innings in the bottom of the fourth, finished 9-3 with a 3.72 earned-run average.
In 20 appearances, Bergman struck out 78 in 101 2/3 innings. Bergman allowed 109 hits and 42 earned runs.
Joe De Pinto (St. Francis High, 2007) junior infielder, USC baseball: De Pinto, a former All-Area first-team member, and the Trojans closed out their season with a two-game winning streak.
De Pinto finished with two hits and scored a run to help USC earn an 11-5 Pac-10 Conference home victory against Washington on May 30. He also contributed a run and had three putouts and three assists.
On May 29 in a game against Washington, De Pinto had one hit and drove in a pair of runs to help the Trojans record a 10-5 win.
In 60 games, De Pinto batted .286 (72 for 252) with two home runs and 23 runs batted in. He scored 50 runs and finished with 106 putouts and 161 assists.
USC finished the season with a 28-32 overall record and 7-20 in conference.
Zack Torres (Crescenta Valley High, 2009) freshman, UCLA men’s track and field: The reigning News-Press Male Athlete of the Year recently concluded his first season with the Bruins.
Torres’ two best marks came when he clocked 3 minutes 57.32 seconds to place eighth in the 1,500-meter race at the Cal State Northridge Invitational on March 12 and when he ran a 14:38.64 in the 5,000 to place third at the California/Nevada Championships on March 27.
Sarah Salvo (Glendale resident) sophomore, University of New Mexico women’s golf: Salvo helped the Lobos earn an automatic berth to the 29th installment of the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Championships after they clinched their third Mountain West Conference championship in a row.
New Mexico set a school record for lowest 72-hole total in 15 finals appearances at 1,189 at the Country Club of Landfall Dye Course in Wilmington, N.C. The Lobos also enjoyed their best finish at the event in six years, finishing tied for 16th in the 24-team field.
Salvo carded a 78, 74, 75 and 77 on the par-72 course to finish tied for 86th at 304.
Purdue won the championship, which was held May 18-21, with a 1,153, followed by USC (1,154) and Alabama (1,157).
