Briefs

Pestolesi chosen one

UC Irvine women’s volleyball standout Kari Pestolesi, who will be a junior in the fall, has been named to the USA Volleyball national beach training team for the Junior (under-21) World Championships.

Pestolesi is one of eight selected from 177 candidates. The team will be narrowed to four by mid-July.

Pestolesi, a two-time first-team All-Big West Conference outside hitter, was one of four players to represent the United States at the World University Championships for beach volleyball in Germany in July, 2008.

She and former UCI teammate Devon Sutherland won the Big West two-person beach tournament in April, 2008.

Pestolesi led the Anteaters in kills and service aces each of the last two seasons.

She was the Big West and West Region Freshman of the Year in 2007.

— From staff reports

Powers stands out

Former UC Irvine All-American and two-time Olympian Jeff Powers scored three goals to lead the United States senior national team to a 14-3 win over Japan on Wednesday, Day 2 of the FINA Men’s World League Super Final in Podgorica, Montenegro.

Ex-Anteater Tim Hutten, also a 2008 Olympian, scored one goal in the win against Japan, which improved Team USA’s record to 2-0 in the tournament.

Former UCI All-American Genai Kerr had six saves in goal for Team USA, the roster of which also includes former Anteater Ryan Bailey.

— From staff reports

Lowenstein promoted

The San Francisco Giants organization promoted former UC Irvine catcher Aaron Lowenstein from Class A San Jose to the Class AAA Fresno Grizzlies Tuesday, after he played just five games at San Jose.

Lowenstein, drafted in the 44th round by the Giants in 2008 after his senior season at UCI, was hitting .286 this season in 13 at-bats at the Class A level. He had his only three runs batted in in his final game at San Jose Friday.

Lowenstein, who was sidelined by a strained oblique muscle earlier this season, had played in one game with the Grizzlies through Wednesday, but had not yet had an at-bat.

Lowenstein, who had a .245 career average in 424 at-bats as an Anteater (with just 17 extra-base hits and one home run among his 104 collegiate hits) said before leaving for spring training that he had figured some things out with some off-season work on his hitting.

He is already considered a polished defender.

— Barry Faulkner