Fullerton (18-4, 2-1) entered the week leading the Big West in hitting (.335) and earned-run average (3.34). The Titans visit No. 3-ranked Arizona State today and Wednesday, before playing host to the ’Eaters Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 6 and Sunday at 1. Friday’s game will be televised on ESPNU.
Thanks to an unprecedented sweep of then-No. 19-ranked Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to open Big West play — UCI had never before swept a three-game series to start conference, though it was 4-0 to in the SCBA against three teams in 1983 — UCI enters ahead of Fullerton in the standings.
UCI is tied for first with Pacific, which swept UC Davis.
The Anteaters, who visit Loyola Marymount today at 3 p.m., went 4-1 last week and have won 11 of their last 14. The offense perked up considerably last week, led by Big West Player of the Week Eric Deragisch. The senior was 10 for 22 with six runs batted in, seven runs and is on a nine-game hitting streak. He was four for four with a two-run home run for the difference in Sunday’s 7-6 triumph.
UCI senior Ben Orloff has been a fixture in the lineup since the last two seasons of Serrano’s UCI tenure. The savvy shortstop entered the week having started 177 consecutive UCI games and his .356 batting average trails only Deragisch (.386) among UCI regulars.
What’s more, Orloff and his family can actually enjoy this series without much inner conflict, since Matt Orloff, Ben’s younger brother, is redshirting as a freshman this season with the Titans.
The Anteaters-Titans isn’t the only big baseball series in these parts this week, as Orange Coast College and Santa Ana, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in Southern California, respectively, square off today at 2 p.m. at Santa Ana, and Thursday at 2 at Orange Coast.
