At the midpoint of the season, there was only one program in the country that ranked in the top 15 nationally in run scoring, ERA and fielding percentage.
That program wasn’t Arkansas or Texas A&M or Wake Forest, the three teams this year to rank No. 1 in the Top 25. It wasn’t Clemson, Florida State or Oregon State, powerhouses that have consistently ranked in the top 10 this spring.
Instead, it was UC Irvine. The Anteaters were producing as one of the most complete and consistent programs in the country.
UCI has a rich tradition of its own, having reached the College World Series twice in the last 20 years—2007 and 2014—and won the Big West Conference in 2009 and 2021. But they have never started a season this well.
UC Irvine was 24-4 at the midpoint, the best mark in program history, and had just won a showdown series against UC Santa Barbara, which had been picked to win the conference in the preseason coaches poll.
The Anteaters were feeling good about themselves, but they knew the job was far from finished.
“We want to see how good we can be,” coach Ben Orloff said. “I told our players it’s like in your class when you get an A on the midterm. You might want to coast and get a C on the final, but that’s not what we want to be about.”
UCI stumbled a bit in the immediate aftermath of the series win against UCSB. It lost at Southern California and then lost a series at UC San Diego, the reigning conference champion, to fall to 25-7 on the season.
This story is from the May 2024 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2024 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
Blaze Alexander entered spring training as a long shot to make the team, but there he was on March 28, starting and batting seventh in the D-backs’ Opening Day lineup.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Louisville Slugger makes Prime bat 30% harder by dipping into 1902 company patent
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
After narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament last year, UC Irvine is determined to finish strong
MORE HARM THAN GOOD?
Dramatically scaling back young pitchers’ workloads has failed to keep them healthier
GEM COLLECTOR
In just four years, Diamond Baseball Holdings has become the most powerful owner ever in Minor League Baseball. What is the plan for their 33 teams—and counting?
LIFE AFTER AFFILIATED BALL
For many minor league teams that lost their MLB affiliations, it has been business as usual— with some unexpected benefits
EARNING POWER
A dramatic upgrade to playing conditions for minor leaguersincluding pay, housing and nutrition has made pro baseball economically viable for all players
NOBODY'S PERFECT
No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday has one flaw in an otherwise airtight profile
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
At nearly every level of his professional career, outfielder Colton Cowser has taken time to acclimate. His major league debut last season was no different.