UCI done with Serrano, now turns focus on Savage

The UC Irvine connection comes into play for the second straight week as current head coach Mike Gillespie squares off against UCLA head coach John Savage, who was the UCI skipper from 2002-04. The Gillespie-Savage ties also go back to Gillespie’s days as the USC head coach when Savage served as an assistant coach from 1996-2000.

UCI (20-5), which went 1-2 against Cal State Fullerton and former UCI Coach Dave Serrano, will start sophomore right-hander Christian Bergman (4-0, 1.08 ERA) against the Bruins, who will go with Garrett Claypool (1-0, 4.61 ERA).

Alden Carrithers, who is hitting .394 with 41 hits and 25 RBIs, leads UCLA (14-12).

UCI is ranked No. 7 by USA Today/ESPN and Baseball American polls, and No. 8 by Collegiate Baseball.

The Anteaters return to Big West Conference action, opening a three-game series at Long Beach State Friday.

— From staff reports