No. 1-ranked UCI at home against Matadors

The No. 1-ranked UC Irvine baseball team will attempt to retain its command of the Big West Conference race when it plays host to Cal State Northridge in a three-game series beginning tonight at 6 p.m. at Anteater Ballpark.

UCI (31-11, 11-1 in conference) opens the weekend with a four-game lead in the loss column over second-pace Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Northridge (18-26, 4-11) represents the first of four remaining three-game conference series for the Anteaters, who have won 12 of their last 14.

UCI will send junior left-hander Danny Bibona (7-1 with a 2.25 earned-run average) to the mound tonight.

Junior right-hander Christian Bergman (7-1, 2.50 ERA) and sophomore Crosby Slaught (3-0, 5.14) are scheduled to start Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Both weekend games will start at 1 p.m.

Coach Mike Gillespie’s Anteaters are led offensively by seniors Eric Deragisch (.382 with 24 runs batted in) and Ben Orloff (.355 with a team-high 43 runs and 10 stolen bases), as well as junior Francis Larson (.319 with a team-leading eight home runs and 39 RBIs) and freshman Ronnie Schaeffer (.406 with three homers and 20 RBIs).

UCI junior All-American closer Eric Pettis is 4-1 with 13 saves and a 2.70 ERA.

Northridge’s scheduled starting pitchers are Ryan Juarez (4-4, 5.03), Justin Gorski (1-2, 4.11) and Billy Ott (1-3, 5.53), respectively.

— Barry Faulkner