BRIEFS:UCI’s Cipriano and Erickson selected

Seniors Cody Cipriano and Blair Erickson were recently selected to the Collegiate Baseball “Louisville Slugger” Preseason All-America third team.

Cipriano, an All-Big West second-team selection last season originally from Westlake High of Agoura, led the team and was third in the Big West with a .354 batting average. The infielder amassed 68 hits and 36 RBI in his junior campaign and was second on the team with four home runs and 16 stolen bases. Cipriano also sported a .455 on base percentage to claim fourth in the conference. He was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player and was tied for third in the Big West with 18 doubles while claiming seventh in slugging percentage at .521.

Erickson, who earned his third consecutive nod to Collegiate Baseball’s preseason All-America teams, posted a 2.06 ERA last season, recording 57 strikeouts in 52.1 innings of work. The right-hander recorded 13 saves and is currently sixth in the NCAA records with 40 career saves. Erickson posted a 5-0 record on the mound in 2006, making two starts in 29 appearances.

The Anteaters open the season February 2-4 at California.

LOCAL TRIO WINS

Local swimmers Anthony Daboub, Jared Namba and Austin Beyajuo were part of a boys’ 11-12-year-old relay team that won four races at the Southern California Swimming Winter Age Group Championships in Las Vegas, Dec. 8-10.

Daboub and Namba are from Newport Beach and Beyajuo is a Costa Mesa resident. Corey Okubo was the fourth member of the team.

They won four relays, including the 400 freestyle in 3:52.12, 200-yard medley in 1:59.38, 200-yard freestyle in 1:46.37 and 400-yard medley in 4:21.69.

EATERS EARN ACADEMIC HONORS

UC Irvine water polo players Curt Merlo, Ty Newland, Matt Garcia and Greg Enloe have been named to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) All-Academic team.

Student-athletes must have a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average, be at least a sophomore academically and have competed in 50% or more of the sport’s contests.

Enloe scored six goals on the season for UC Irvine while Newland, a two-time all-academic honoree, had two goals. Merlo was the team’s fourth-leading scorer with 18 goals and Garcia, who also earned his second all-academic nod, started in all 31 games and recorded 314 saves for the Anteaters.

BASEBALL CAMP COMING

Some openings remain for UC Irvine’s Youth Winter All-Star Baseball Camp at Anteater Ballpark Dec. 27-29. The camp, which will be conducted by the UCI coaching staff and current players, is a development camp for players ages 6-13 and with all ability levels. Players will work on fundamentals in hitting, fielding, throwing, catching and pitching.

Cost for the three-day camp is $200 and includes lunch plus a UCI baseball T-shirt.

Further information may be obtained by calling (949) 824-6120 or online at https://www.athletics.uci.edu/CCP/baseball.