UC Irvine baseball, coming off the school's first trip to an NCAA
Division I regional last spring, has been picked third in the Big
West Conference preseason coaches poll.
The Anteaters, under first-year coach Dave Serrano, are behind
defending national champion Cal State Fullerton, which received all
eight first-place votes, and Long Beach State.
UC Irvine was 34-23-1 last season, 10-11 in the Big West. The
Anteaters are ranked No. 36 and No. 40 in the preseason by Collegiate
Baseball and Baseball America, respectively, and return 25 lettermen.
The team is led by 2005 Collegiate Baseball and National
Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason All-American Blair
Erickson, two-time All-Big West selection Matt Anderson and NCAA
regional all-tournament catcher Mark Wagner.
The Anteaters open the season Feb. 4-6 at California and entertain
Washington, ranked No. 17 by Collegiate Baseball, Feb. 11-13 in their
first home series.
