Ben Orloff

As the constancy of the tax deadline brings to mind other absolutes, the foremost absolute with the UC Irvine baseball program these days is the presence of senior shortstop Ben Orloff. The field general for the No. 3-ranked Anteaters started his 182nd straight game Monday against visiting Loyola Marymount, a streak during which he has played very inning. Entering this five-game week, which concludes with a three-game Big West Conference series at UC Riverside, Friday through Sunday, Orloff ranks in the top five in five career statistical categories at UCI. With two runs Sunday, he took sole possession of the career record with 149 (Mike Nagle had 147 from 1978 to 1981)

The UC Irvine baseball team?s prospects for 2009 appear to be enhanced considerably by the expected return of Major League draft picks Ben Orloff, Bryce Stowell and Tony Asaro. Anteaters Coach Mike Gillespie said Thursday that none of the aforementioned players have signed with their respective organizations and all are making plans to return to UCI for their senior seasons next year. The return of Asaro, selected in the 47th round by the St. Louis Cardinals, appears certain, though Orloff and Stowell could still opt for the pro ranks, should contract negotiations escalate, Gillespie said.

LINCOLN, Neb. — The parting words from some of the Nebraska employees and fans to the UC Irvine traveling party that was exiting Haymaker Park Sunday after the Anteaters swept three games to win the NCAA Lincoln Regional, were telling. “See you in a couple weeks,” was the familiar sendoff, referring to a potential UCI return to Omaha, about an hour drive from Lincoln, where the final eight teams in the country, all Super Regional winners, will convene for the College World Series, June 14-25, at Rosenblatt Stadium.

IRVINE — The UC Irvine baseball team treated a crowd of 2,035 to a 7-3 nonconference win over visiting USC Wednesday at Anteater Ballpark. And while first-year UCI coach Mike Gillespie was satisfied with the win, which upped the No. 22-ranked ’Eaters’ record to 4-0 this season, he said he found some discomfort in topping the school he played for and spent 20 seasons guiding as head coach. Making him even less enthused, the verdict pinned a loss on a USC unit guided by Chad Kreuter, Gillespie’s son-in-law, who was ejected in the middle of the seventh inning for arguing after an interference call on a base runner at second, creating a double play for the Anteaters.

UC Irvine attained unprecedented heights as a Division I baseball program last season. But one of the top returners from a 2007 campaign that featured a 47-17-1 record, and the school?s first trip to the College World Series, believes the Anteaters? third-place finish in Omaha ultimately meant coming up short. ?We haven?t done anything yet,? said junior center fielder and preseason All-American Ollie Linton. ?We made it to Omaha, but we still need to accomplish the entire thing [winning a national championship]

dpt-ucibaseball20TextCR26T987UCI baseball storyDaily Pilot IRVINEBASEBALL: UCI fielders back pitchers to post second straight shutout, move team within game of second in Big West.Northridge...0 UC Irvine...10 IRVINE — UC Irvine scored 10 runs on 12 hits, stole three bases, moved runners and took the extra base Saturday in its Big West Conference baseball victory over visiting Cal State Northridge. But when stacked up against the superb performances turned in by the Anteaters' pitching and defense during a 10-0 triumph, UCI Coach Dave Serrano said it was the offense that was left with some postgame explaining to do. "Winning, 10-0, a lot of coaches would say that's great," Serrano said.

IRVINE — UC Irvine junior pitcher Wes Etheridge didn't have his best stuff Saturday night against visiting Long Beach State. "I thought I was average," Etheridge said. "The defense bailed me out a few times, and they were swinging at balls that weren't strikes." The Anteaters, however, will take an average performance any day, as long as Etheridge can keep lighting up zeroes on the scoreboard in Big West Conference play. He pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, helping the Anteaters shut out the Dirtbags, 4-0, before 1,320 at Anteater Ballpark.