Anteaters appear to be in good ‘Company’

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Company, the three-player committee which formulates and largely performs the comedy skits in front of the team before UC Irvine baseball games, was missing a founding member Friday.

Chris Lopez, a senior reliever who along with junior outfielder Ollie Linton helped initiate the now-two-year ritual, returned home abruptly from Lincoln, Nebraska, where the Anteaters took on Oral Roberts in the first round of the Lincoln Regional.

Lopez left to be with his mother, who became ill after he had accompanied the team to Nebraska on Wednesday.

So, to honor their departed teammate, Linton and sophomore outfielder Dillon Bell, who has become a third organizer of the group, elected to perform an ode to “C-Lo” as Lopez is known to his teammates, for Friday’s skit.

Linton and sophomore infielder Tyler Hoechlin went through a “best of” Lopez, mimicking various characters he has played in the skits over the season.

Hoechlin gave his best rendition of Lopez imitating a crank caller, Michael Vick’s bodyguard and a television sports announcer, among others.

Linton wrapped up the skit by sending good wishes to Lopez, as the whole skit was videotaped, by a player for Lopez’s future enjoyment.

 Lopez, who has compiled a 2.35 earned-run average in 7 2/3 innings this season, was replaced on the Anteaters’ 25-player roster by sophomore Cole Hathcock. Hathcock, who flew in to join the team Friday, has thrown 4 1/3 innings this season, has an 8.31 ERA.

 With two stolen bases against Oral Roberts, Linton upped his school single-season record to 39 and his career record to 68.

He was two for three with two walks and he scored two runs. But equally impressive was a diving catch he made in the second inning. Facing an untenable sun field in the early innings, he stood motionless as a ball sailed about 20 feet to his right off the bat of Adam Younger.

“I didn’t see it at all, so I looked to our shortstop, Ben Orloff, who sometimes points to an area to direct me to the ball. I went in that direction and I spotted the ball.”

Linton then made a diving catch.

 UCI improved to 14-1 when scoring in the first inning this season and improved to 34-0 this season when leading after seven innings. UC Irvine is also 36-0 this season when leading after eight innings.

 Orloff made his 150th straight start Friday and he has played every inning of this season’s 55 games.

 Nebraska’s victory over Eastern Illinois Friday improved the Cornhuskers’ record at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park this season to 29-3-1.

 Though Nebraska will start its ace, senior Johnny Dorn (6-1, 2.38 ERA), tonight against UCI, the Cornhuskers have been struggling of late.

With the 13 hits allowed to Eastern Illinois Friday, Nebraska has surrendered at least 10 hits in eight of its last 11 games.

The ’Huskers, however, have scored at least nine runs in their last three home games. And, having scored in seven innings Friday, they have produced at least one run in 14 of their last 17 innings at Hawks Field.

 Nebraska cracked a season-best four homers Friday, its fourth multi-homer game of the season. It was the ’Huskers’ biggest single-game home run output since May 8, 2006, a span of 128 games.

 Nebraska fell behind Eastern Illinois, 5-3, after posting leads of 2-0 and 3-2 Friday. The Cornhuskers have trailed in their last six home games. They have, however, rallied to win five of those games.

 Eastern Illinois, which lost to Nebraska, 13-10, in Friday’s afternoon game, is now 1-3 in two Regional appearances.

So, it might not be surprising to note that some of its most famous alumni involved in athletics are football guys.

Current NFL coaches Mike Shanahan (Denver Broncos), Brad Childress (Minnesota Vikings) and Sean Payton (New Orleans Saints) all attended EIU.

In addition, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo played collegiately with the Panthers.

 It’s fitting, perhaps, that Eastern Illinois was placed in this regional. After all, the school’s football history includes an appearance in the Corn Bowl in 1948 and the Panthers play their home football games at Lincoln field.