UCI baseball opens at Pepperdine

The UC Irvine baseball team opens its season today at 2 p.m. at

nonconference host Pepperdine.

Sophomore right-hander Chris Nicoll, 1-2 last spring with a 4.03

ERA, is scheduled to start on the mound for the Anteaters, who were

21-35 a year ago.

Pepperdine, the defending West Coast Conference champion, was

36-25 last season. First-year coach Steve Ramirez plans to send

All-WCC right-hander Jacob Barrack to the mound for the Waves.

Barrack was 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA last season.

UCI finishes eighth

* WATER POLO: UC Irvine finished eighth in the 12-team UC San

Diego Arena women’s water polo invitational, which featured 11 teams

that appeared in the latest top-20 poll.

The Anteaters (4-3) split two games Sunday, defeating Hartwick of

New York, 11-7, and falling to UC Davis, 10-6. UCI finished the

tournament with a 2-2 record.

Melissa Fernandez had five goals to lead UCI to its victory over

Hartwick. Robyn Kaake added three and Rebecca Wedemeyer chipped in

with two.

In the loss to UC Davis, Fernandez finished with two goals and UCI

received one each from Kaake, Erika Ranes and Wedemeyer.

Jumps coach needed

* HELP WANTED: The Estancia High boys and girls track and field

programs are looking for an assistant coach to work with the long,

high and triple jumpers.

Interested applicants may phone Estancia Boys Athletic Director

Tim Parsel: (949) 515-6558.