Three schools trail Big West leader Cal State Fullerton by two games in the standings as baseball's conference slate approaches the midpoint this weekend. Poll popularity is on the side of the Titans as they vaulted up to No. 16 in the nation in two publications.
AROUND THE BIG WEST
Titans Open Up Lead As Teams Hit League Midpoint
A majority of Big West teams will reach the midway point of their league schedules this week. Opponents are looking up at Big West-leading Cal State Fullerton, which is two games ahead of UC Irvine, UC Riverside and Pacific.
The Titans host Cal Poly in search of winning their fourth straight league series. CSF has swept UC Davis and taken two of three games from UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara to roll out to a 7-2 mark in Big West play. The Titans have won 13 of their last 17 games overall and the pollsters have recognized the strength of that play. CSF is ranked No. 16 by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball this week, claiming its highest national ranking since March 1. CSF faces a struggling Cal Poly team which has dropped 17 of its last 21 games.
Although Pacific is tied for second in the league standings at 5-4 with UCI and UCR, the Tigers took two of three in head-to-head action against the Anteaters and Highlanders. The Tigers lead the Big West with 22 wins overall, surpassing their 2009 victory total (21) with 21 regular season games to go. Pacific hosts Cal State Northridge this week.
UC Irvine has stumbled recently with losses in five of its last eight contests. During that eight-game stretch, two of those wins have come with senior ace Daniel Bibona on the hill. The Anteaters are still receiving votes in the national polls, but look to regain their momentum at UC Davis.
The Highlanders take a break from conference competition but tackle a five-game slate with single games against San Diego and Loyola Marymount, and a three-game set versus Cal State Bakersfield.
Down To The Wire
Three weeks of Big West play are in the books and close games appear to be the trend. Of the 36 conference games that have been played, 19 have been decided by two runs or less and 10 by a single run. Long Beach State has demonstrated the knack for playing tight games more than anyone. All five Big West losses for the 49ers have been decided by one or two runs. On the flip side, Cal State Fullerton has not shown much of an affinity for close games. The Titans have played only one one-run conference tilt and three of their wins have come by double-digit runs.
Necke Named To Closer Watch List
UC Irvine senior Kyle Necke was named to the 45-player midseason watch list for the sixth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. Necke, the only Big West reliever on the list, is 1-3 with five saves and a 3.68 earned run average for the Anteaters. He has exhibited impressive control with just three walks in 29.1 innings. Necke has not allowed a run in seven of his last nine appearances.
Home Run Derby
UC Riverside broke the school’s Division I record for home runs in an inning, blasting four off Long Beach State pitching in Sunday’s 7-5 win. Trevor Hairgrove, Joey Gonzales, Justin Shults and Tony Nix all cleared the fence in a six-run, third-inning uprising to provide the requisite offense.
Basepath Bully
Cal State Fullerton’s Gary Brown, the reigning Big West Field Player of the Week, broke into the Big West career top 10 for steals as he swiped two bags in the recent UC Santa Barbara series. He finished the weekend with 70 career steals, tying him for ninth on the list with former Titan David Bacani (1998-01) and UC Santa Barbara’s Mike Czarnetski (1987-90). Brown leads the conference with 22 steals on the season, just three shy of the career-high 25 bags he pilfered in 2008.
Triples Tyrant
Further exploration into the numbers reveals that Cal State Fullerton’s Gary Brown is on the cusp of breaking two Big West records. The speedster owns a conference-best eight triples. Two more three-baggers would give him a Big West single-season record 10. In addition, Brown owns 17 career triples, which is well within range of the Big West career record of 21 held by UC Santa Barbara’s Wynter Phoenix (1993-96).
Cusick’s Hit Streak Rambles On
Senior Jeff Cusick continues to be a force at the plate for UC Irvine. He extended his league-leading hit streak to 24 games after posting four consecutive two-hit performances last week. Cusick has produced two hits in six of the last seven games and has 14 multi-hit games for the season.
Jolicoeur’s Resurgence
Senior Jimmy Jolicoeur pitched in only six games last season for Cal State Northridge before suffering a season-ending injury and earning a medical redshirt. He has returned in 2010 to log a 4-0 record and 1.59 earned run average for the Matadors, allowing just five runs in 28.1 innings pitched. Jolicoeur was the winning pitcher twice last week in relief appearances against Cal Poly.
Comeback Special
UC Davis engineered the comeback of the 2010 season to date in Friday’s 12-11 triumph over Cal State Bakersfield. The Aggies fought back from a 10-3 deficit with nine runs in the ninth inning to emerge victorious. The Aggies used six hits and a pair of Roadrunner errors to build the rally. UCD has a penchant for playing high scoring games. Either the Aggies or their opponents have scored double-digit runs in eight of the last 11 outings.
Pacific Pitching Making Statement
Pacific’s offense is a major reason for the team’s 22-12 start to the season and deserves that credit. But the pitching staff is also influencing the team’s overall success. The Tiger arms have allowed four earned runs or less in five straight games. In four games last week, the Tigers posted a 2.57 ERA, leading to a 3-1 record.
Cal Poly In The Close Ones
Cal Poly won its 10th game of the season in Sunday’s 5-3 victory at Cal State Northridge. In 2009, the Mustangs had secured win No. 10 on March 14. The story of the season has revolved around the Mustangs’ struggles in close games. Of its last 19 games, Cal Poly has played 14 one- or two-run games and is 4-10 in the close ones. The Mustangs will close out a stretch of 14 of 17 games on the road with this weekend’s series at Cal State Fullerton, then look forward to 14 of their remaining 19 games at home.