June 14, 2007

Anteaters talk of the town

TIM BURT, PRESS BOX

UC Irvine’s baseball team appears to be the talk of the town, and perhaps the county after knocking off two baseball giants in consecutive weekends.

First, the Anteaters upset No. 5 Texas in the Round Rock Regional. Then last weekend, UCI made more believers when it topped Wichita State in a Super Regional in Wichita.

While the games have been far away, there is obviously a lot of interest in the team.

A number of fans are commenting on the Orange County Register and Irvine World News web sites.

Here are a few comments:

From a Stanford University alum: So great to hear the attention the UCI athletics program has received, first with the men’s volleyball team winning the national title and now the baseball team is headed to Omaha.

From a Register reader:

So proud to hear about the amazing UC Irvine baseball team. Bring home another national title. Zot. Zot.

If you would like to comment about the team’s prospects in Omaha, you can go to our web page at

irvineworldnews.com, click on at the end of the story and add your comment.

Even Cal State Fullerton fans are welcome to comment.

GIVING CREDIT

It’s clear that the ones who should get credit for UCI’s rise in baseball are the current coach, Dave Serrano, and the athletic director who hired him, Bob Chichester.

Serrano has the ability to keep his players focused, even when the going gets tough.

It seemed like the odds were against the Anteaters when they headed to Texas for the Roundrock Regional. Serrano turned it into a positive.

“I can’t be more thrilled for these young men and my coaching staff and this university for as much as they’ve fought to be rewarded going to a high profile regional where we’re going to be able to experience Division I regional atmosphere at its finest,” he said at the time.

Obviously, his talented players believed in him.

NATIONAL EXPOSURE

UC Irvine’s baseball program will likely benefit from all the publicity generated from its trip to Omaha for the College World Series. With coverage on ESPN and millions of fans watching, potential recruits are going to be very much interested in playing for the Anteaters.

THRILLING RUN

Long-time sports information director Bob Olson is thrilled with the spring season, which has already included a national title for the men’s volleyball team.

"This has been the most successful spring for UCI intercollegiate athletics in my 25 years at the university,” Olson said.

“The men’s volleyball team winning the national title was the catalyst and baseball is enhancing our presence on the national stage.

“The positive exposure that the baseball program has brought to UCI is outstanding and Coach Serrano, his staff and players have created quite a buzz on campus, in the community and across the country with their accomplishments."

The players made a bus trip from Wichita to Omaha on Monday in preparation for this weekend’s College World Series, Olson said.