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UCI edged by Bulldogs, 1-0

Steve Virgen

Brett Smith is a sophomore. He’s been where Kris Krise and Chris

Nicoll were: nerves racing, awaiting to throw their first pitch in

NCAA Division I baseball. So, Smith, who was on his game, did not

mind to step aside in UC Irvine’s home opener that still proved to be

a pitchers’ duel.

This game was about pitching, and Krise and Nicoll met the

challenge. It was no wonder the difference in the game came down to

one clutch hit. That belonged to Fresno State, which earned a

season-opening 1-0 victory over UCI at Anteater Ballpark Tuesday

night before 750 baseball fans.

“It’s a big deal; that first pitch is huge for them,” said Smith,

a 6-foot-5 right-hander who struck out four and allowed just two hits

in 11 innings. “I hate leaving games, but we have to have everyone

ready to pitch. I remember I was wound up in knots. I was shaking my

whole way to the park.”

Smith said he has added a pitch to his game this season, a slider,

which helped him throughout his three innings. He began the game with

a strikeout and he ended his stint with another. UCI Coach John

Savage predetermined Smith’s pitch count to go to 45 pitches, and

Smith ended the third with 44.

“I thought (Smith) was very good, borderline dominating,” said

Savage, who was impressed with the pitching from both teams. “You saw

the future. If we pitch like that the whole year, we’re going to have

a very good year.”

Savage also noted the rarity of a 1-0 game.

“Very rarely do you see a 1-0 game in college baseball,” Savage

said. “I don’t think you’ll see a better pitched game.”

The Anteaters were not involved in a 1-0 ballgame last year and

they have not been in one since March 30, 1979 in a loss at Cal State

Fullerton.

Granted, Tuesday night was the first game for both teams, so

rustiness at the plate is sometimes expected, yet that did not

overshadow the pitching.

Krise, the 6-6, 230-pound right-hander who was drafted by the

Arizona Diamondbacks in the 43rd round, was one of the UCI pitchers

that held the Bulldogs scoreless through seven innings. His debut

began with an impressive inning in the fourth.

For starters, Krise faced Fresno State junior Casey McGehee, who

led the Bulldogs in batting (.367), runs scored (49, hits (88)

on-base percentage (.412), total bases (127) and slugging percentage

(.529) last year. Krise struck out McGehee in three pitches.

“I knew who he was and that got me fired up,” Krise said of

McGehee. “At first, everyone gets pre-game jitters, but I was quite

ready for this game.

The Anteater pitchers, Smith, Krise, Nicoll, Paul Tripoli and

Michael Koehler, allowed just five hits and struck out 11. Tripoli

took the loss, while Fresno State freshman Matt Garza picked up the

win. Cody Smith, a junior for Fresno State, started the game and

finished with three strikeouts and allowed two hits in three innings.

The Bulldogs, coached by first-year coach Mike Batesole who guided

Cal State Northridge to a Big West Conference title last year, scored

in the eighth inning. Chris Patrick singled to left field and stole

second to add pressure for the Anteaters.

With two out, UCI chose to walk Cody Smith to get to Brian Pierce.

But Pierce got a hold of a 1-2 pitch and his hard-hit ball bounced

off the glove of a diving third baseman, Matt Anderson and rolled

into left field, scoring Patrick.

UCI second baseman Matt Fisher, a junior transfer from Oklahoma,

deftly fielded a hard-charging ground ball, and made the quick throw

to first, to prevent a run in the bottom of the seventh.

The Anteaters return to action Friday at 3 p.m., when Glenn

Swanson is set to open a three-game series at Santa Clara.

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