COLLEGES:Anteaters mesh to top Titans

The case could have been made that Saturday’s Big West Conference series finale at Cal State Fullerton was the biggest game in the Division I history of UC Irvine baseball.

This proposition, however, was hard to reconcile with a first-time freshman starter on the mound for the Anteaters who boasted an 0-2 record and a 9.45 ERA.

Threatening additional credibility was the image of first-base coach Sergio Brown, who instead of the fitted navy blue team cap, wore what appeared from the press box to be a trucker cap, complete with white mesh material surrounding a royal blue crown and bill.

Turns out, the cap, the same one issued UCI players when fall practice began, was nothing more than a visual aid to help drive home a little history lesson.

“He was just reminding [the players] where they came from,” UCI Coach Dave Serrano said after the Anteaters’ 12-6 victory gave them the program’s first conference series triumph over the Titans. Ever.

“[UCI players] had to earn the right to wear the team hat and they all had to put in a lot of hard work to do it,” Serrano said. “He was just reminding them of how much work they’d put in to be able to represent the uniform and the hat.”

But Ollie Linton, the Anteaters redshirt sophomore center fielder who was four for five with three RBIs in Saturday’s win, said it meant something different to him.

“I think that signified that this was just another intrasquad game,” Linton said. “To me, it meant we were all just supposed to go out there and have fun, like we’ve been doing since fall ball. Through the grind of conditioning, weights and practices, it showed us that all we needed to do that day was have fun.”

But it also meant the ‘Eaters had won two of three from perennial Big West bullies Fullerton and Long Beach State.

Yet another byproduct of Saturday’s win was a bump in the national polls.

UCI, ranked No. 23 last week by Baseball America, occupies the No. 17 spot in the same publication’s poll this week.

Cal State Fullerton, No. 12 last week, is now No. 18.

“We want people to finally realize and respect who we are,” Linton said.

Erickson, one shy of tying the national career saves record of 49, set by USC’s Jack Krawcyzk from 1995-98, could be one more poor outing from having his closer status revoked.

Erickson had not encountered a save opportunity since March 11 before he entered Friday in the ninth with a 1-0 lead. He proceeded to hit the first batter and walk the next two, prompting Serrano to lift him in favor of Dylan Axelrod, who earned both saves in the series.

Asked after Sunday’s game if he was disappointed Erickson did not get another chance at the Titans after Thursday’s showing, Serrano, as usual, said what was on his mind.

“This is a team game and it’s whoever is throwing best right now,” Serrano said. “We have some guys doing better than [Erickson], and I don’t second-guess [calling upon others] at all. But I’m not afraid to get Blair back on the bump. That could be [tonight at UCLA], if he gets that opportunity.”

Meanwhile, Savage’s Bruins (15-15) are off to a 5-1 start in the Pac 10.