June 8, 2007

Little-known UC Irvine stands tall
BY JEFFREY PARSON
The Wichita Eagle

It's not lost on UC Irvine coach Dave Serrano that he might be the only coach in a super regional whose series-opening starter stands just 5-foot-10.

Actually, the thought brought a chuckle from Serrano.

"The 5-10 thing is wrong," he said. "Scott Gorgen is 5-10 standing on a platform."

It's just another way that Gorgen symbolizes the Anteaters. They are a pesky team of gamers, most of whom were under-recruited by a lengthy list of more traditional programs within the state.

They excel on intelligence and will. UC Irvine (43-15-1) is ranked fourth heading into the super regional that starts Saturday at Eck Stadium. That is a lofty status for the Anteaters, yet Serrano plainly insisted, "I don't think there's a person in this program who is shocked."

Gorgen certainly isn't. Consider, he was getting barely any recruiting attention during his senior year of high school -- as a punter.

He did not "have any baseball interest whatsoever" until after graduation. Yet as a freshman he was 7-5 with a 2.54 ERA, earning him freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball.

As a sophomore this season, he is 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA.

"Being overlooked, I still think of myself as a giant killer," Gorgen said. "It's that chip we have on our shoulders. I don't fear anybody."

That showed a week ago when Gorgen pitched his fifth complete game of the season to beat host Texas 3-1 in the Round Rock Regional. He did so in front of 9,256 fans.

What Serrano appreciated most was the reaction afterward: It was not surprise nor even focused on Gorgen, who only struck out two.

Instead, Texas coach Augie Garrido credited Irvine's terrific defense, and others saw an unmistakable chemistry.

"Texas has very good athletes on their team, but they had some opportunities that were lost," Wake Forest coach Rick Rembielak told the Austin American-Statesman. "I saw Irvine take advantage of every opportunity they had, and right now they're playing great baseball. "

Even before Irvine finished off Texas, American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls was convinced.

"UC Irvine quite frankly couldn't play a better brand of ball if it picked up Barry Bonds and Jake Peavy between now and (the) championship game," Bohls wrote. "The Anteaters' next mistake of the weekend will be their first."

That is music to Serrano's ears. The 42-year-old is in only his third season at Irvine. He made the tough decision to leave his assistant's role at Cal State Fullerton because he thought Irvine could have similar success.

He said his focus was changing the mentality of a team that had never won a regional game. Getting two solid recruiting classes -- 15 of the 25 players Irvine has brought to Wichita are freshmen and sophomores -- was a big step, too.

"We lost two one-run games in a regional last year, and I thought that put us ahead of schedule," Serrano said. "By winning a regional, we're really ahead of schedule. I thought this might happen next season."

The Anteaters have some pop in the heart of their lineup with Cody Cipriano (.344,12 home runs), but their offense is based on balance. All the regulars are batting .312 or better, and most of them can run.

Irvine has 134 stolen bases to its opponents' 24.

"We're going to be aggressive, and that's part of the mentality," Serrano said. "We have to think we're going to be good, that we can play with anybody."

So what if center fielder Ollie Linton is 5-8 with a baby face? So what if shortstop Ben Orloff, in the words of Serrano, "has had to work hard so he can make the first baseman's glove even pop" with his throws?

Serrano told the team two weeks ago he wanted a regional away from the West Coast and hosted by a traditional power. It would be the best way for his Anteaters to quickly gain respect.

"When we saw Texas pop up, we thought it was actually quite a blessing," Gorgen said. "Our team thrives on that kind of opportunity. And now we get another one at Wichita State, this time with the chance to go to Omaha."