COLLEGE WORLD SERIES NOTEBOOK:Special UCI fan ditches Cape

OMAHA, Neb. — One spectator with a unique perspective of UC Irvine’s 5-4 loss to Arizona State in the first round of the College World Series Saturday was Matt Gorgen, twin brother of UCI sophomore starting pitcher Scott Gorgen.

Matt Gorgen, the sophomore closer at Cal this season, has become an honorary member of the Anteaters. He has attended all six of UCI’s postseason games and is a nervous wreck whenever Scott is on the mound.

“I’m way worse than my dad [Chris, who also agonizes on every pitch],” Matt Gorgen said Sunday, after throwing briefly from the bullpen mound during the Anteaters’ workout at Bellevue East High just outside Omaha.

Matt Gorgen, who went 3-5 with a team-best nine saves, a 2.51 earned-run average, and 75 strikeouts in 61 innings, was supposed to be pitching in the Cape Cod League in June. But, to the consternation of his coaches in the Cape, he has put his own summer season on hold to see the Anteaters’ season through.

“My [Cape Cod League] coach didn’t understand about me coming to Omaha,” Matt Gorgen said. “He wanted me to come watch my brother’s start [Saturday], then come back [to Massachusetts].

“I told him UCI is my second team. I love every single one of these [Anteaters]. I said ‘This isn’t just about my brother, or about me. It’s about being here for these guys and being here to support them.”

“If I was looking out for my best interests, I would have gone to the Cape right away and not gone to the regional [in Round Rock, Texas] or the super regional [in Wichita, Kan.], or even Omaha. But I went to the first one and I wasn’t going to leave.”

He said he will try to catch on with a Cape Cod League team when he returns to Berkeley, but his job on his original team has been filled.

SIX WINS AWAY

UCI Coach Dave Serrano pointed out that Saturday’s setback was the team’s first loss since May 26.

“All we did after that loss was win six straight games,” said Serrano, whose No. 4-ranked Anteaters (45-16-1) meet Big West Conference rival Cal State Fullerton (38-24) in an elimination game today at 11 a.m. “If we win six straight games from here on out, we’ll win a national championship.”

PLAYOFF BEARD SHORN

Matt Gorgen began growing a beard in Texas and he told his brother, as well as other Anteaters players, that he wouldn’t shave, as long as they kept winning.

But after Saturday’s loss, he was clean-shaven Sunday.

“It was for superstitious reasons,” Matt Gorgen said of his temporary beard. “I’ve shaved it off and now we can start over again.”

AN EXTRA TEAMMATE

Matt Gorgen regularly refers to UCI and its players as ‘We.’ He said he has been accepted by the players as a teammate and he even played summer league ball with Bryan Petersen and Wes Etheridge in 2006.

“When Scott first signed [at UCI], I became friends with a bunch of the freshman, like Kyle Necke and Ben Orloff,” Matt Gorgen said.

“These guys are like my family. I can call on those guys for anything. My brother is my best friend and my other half, and he knows everyone on my [Cal] team.

“This [UCI] team is special. [UCI players] have this thing that they’re one team and each one of them has each other’s back. They’ve accepted me as kind of a teammate as well, even though I’m not on the field. I’m the first person down [on the field or outside the clubhouse] after a game and they come and high-five and hug me, sometimes even before they go over to their parents. I wear my UC Irvine pullover [jacket] and I’m not afraid to wear it, because I know exactly where I stand with these guys. These guys respect me and I respect them.”

BEDEVILED AS WELL

Matt Gorgen also has a healthy respect for Arizona State, which he faces in the Pac-10.

“[Cal] played ASU three times this year [the Golden Bears won two of three from the visiting Sun Devils on April 27-29], so I figured if Scott could give up five runs or less, [the Anteaters] would have a good chance to win.” Matt Gorgen said. “

And he gave up five runs. He didn’t have his best stuff, but he did a good job of keeping his team in the game.”Gorgen said he is good friends with ASU’s Ike Davis, who hit a game-winning home run in the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie.

“Ike’s my buddy, so I called Ike after the game,” Matt Gorgen said. “He told me other than [the Sun Devils], UCI is the best team in their pool.”

Matt Gorgen knows how dangerous ASU hitters can be. He gave up an RBI double to Matt Spencer in Cal’s 13-9 win over ASU on April 29. He pitched three innings, allowing four hits and two runs. He worked a scoreless inning to earn the save in the series opener.

Spencer hit a three-run homer to open the scoring off of Scott Gorgen Saturday.

BRINGING THE PING

Sunday’s UCI workout featured some batting-practice hacks by Athletic Director Bob Chichester, who connected on all by a few of his dozen or so swings. He laced a few base hits through the infield, prompting cheers from Anteaters players.

John Forrest, UCI’s director of field operations, who was pitching to Chichester, handcuffed the former collegiate athlete — he played basketball and golf at Occidental College — with one inside pitch.

“I’m a little nervous,” Forrest said with a smile, after being chided by players and coaches.