Gorgen UCI’s strikeout king

IRVINE — First-year UC Irvine baseball coach Mike Gillespie has seen it all season long. And though it never gets old, the consistent pitching mastery of junior All-American Scott Gorgen never ceases to amaze his veteran skipper, who coached the likes of Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito at USC.

“His command was not what we’re used to seeing through three innings,” Gillespie said. “But when you look up [at the scoreboard] at the end, there’s not a lot of hits [for the opposition].”

Pacific was the latest to marvel first hand at Gorgen’s perpetual prowess, as the right-hander allowed just two hits and one unearned run in eight innings to help the Anteaters claim a 9-1 Big West Conference triumph in the first of a three-game series in front of 562 Friday at Anteater Ballpark.

The win upped No. 13-ranked UCI’s record to 32-12, 9-7 in conference.

“[Gorgen] settled down and when all was said and done, it was another good outing.” Gillespie said.

Along the way, Gorgen, who fanned nine and walked three while throwing 121 pitches, surpassed Glenn Swanson to become the school’s career leader in strikeouts.

Gorgen now has 305 career punchouts, seven more than Swanson amassed from 2002-06.

Gillespie and Gorgen admitted that the prospect of setting the strikeout record — he needed just three to surpass Swanson coming in — contributed to his slow start.

“I’d say so,” Gorgen said of the record being a mild distraction. It is one of many records he is knocking off with seemingly every appearance.

Gorgen, who improved to 10-2 this season and saw his earned-run average drop from 1.97 to 1.79, is now tied for third in school history in career wins with 30. He is also tied for fourth in career starts (48).

“It was a little rough in the first inning,” said Gorgen, who walked the second and third hitters he faced. After a fielder’s choice grounder left runners at the corners with two outs, Adam Ching scored from third on a passed ball to give the Tigers (10-36, 2-17) a 1-0 lead.

UCI, however, converted the first of UOP’s five errors into three unearned runs in a four-run first to give Gorgen all the cushion he would need.

“Guys in the dugout joke that I’m not comfortable until I throw 100 pitches,” Gorgen said. “They call them my 100 warmup pitches.”

Gorgen also said catcher Aaron Lowenstein, a fifth-year senior, helped settle him down early with some words of … encouragement.

“Lowey is my heart and soul out there,” Gorgen said. “He told me to compete and to hit my spots, and he used a couple of other words. He fires me up.”

After allowing a one-out double in the second, Gorgen retired eight straight. Then, after issuing a leadoff walk in the fifth, he set down the next three.

After Ching singled to open the sixth, Gorgen set down the final nine he faced in order, before giving way to sophomore Kyle Necke.

Necke allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth to cap what will be a memorable outing for Gorgen.

“I think the best thing about the record is the guy who used to have it,” Gorgen said. “Swanny [currently recovering from Tommy John surgery in the Texas Rangers’ organization] is a legend here and one of the best teammates I ever played with.”

It was the seventh start this season in which Gorgen has surrendered one or fewer earned runs. He has allowed a combined three earned runs in 54 2/3 innings in those starts.

It is the fifth start in which he has allowed three or fewer hits, the seventh in which the opponent has managed no more than four hits.

Nine Anteaters contributed to the 12-hit attack, led by sophomore right fielder Dillon Bell, who was two for five with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Junior shortstop Ben Orloff went two for four with one RBI and two runs, while sophomore left fielder Francis Larson was two for four with one RBI and one run.

Junior second baseman Eric Deragisch (one for three), sophomore pinch hitter Sean Madigan (one for one), senior first baseman Josh Tavelli (one for three) and sophomore second baseman Casey Stevenson (one for four) also drove in runs for the winners.

UCI scored three in the eighth to help Gorgen relax and enjoy another standout performance.

“I only have two more guaranteed starts this season [before likely being drafted by a major league team in June],” Gorgen said. “I just want to enjoy this.”

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 9, Pacific 1

SCORE BY INNINGS

Centanni and Oliveira; Gorgen and Lowenstein. W – Gorgen, 10-2. L – Centanni, 0-4. 2B – Larson (UCI), McKeever (UOP).

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].