COLLEGES:

Among those impressed by the prolific and versatile production by UC Irvine senior baseball standout Brock Bardeen through 15 games this season is his coach, Mike Gillespie.

Gillespie, after chewing out his team at above-average decibel level following Saturday’s 6-3 loss to visiting Tulane in a three-game nonconference series won by the Anteaters (10-5), quickly shifted into a broad smile when asked about the amazing start by the 6-foot-2, 210-pound pitcher and designated hitter.

Bardeen has prompted plenty of smiles from those in the UCI dugout, who have also had to shake their heads in disbelief.

With two wins last week in back-to-back games against USC and Tulane, he improved to 3-0 on the mound this season, his first collegiate pitching experience.

At the plate, he has five hits in 22 at-bats (.227), but four of those have been home runs, including a pair of grand slams. He hit a slam and a three-run shot, both on first pitches, against Alabama-Birmingham to set a Baylor Classic single-game record with seven runs batted in. His 13 RBIs this season rank one behind team leader Francis Larson, who has done his damage in 61 at-bats.

“Our staff was talking about [Bardeen’s start Saturday],” Gillespie said. We think he’s the half-season Golden Spikes Award winner. We’re calling it the Silver Spikes. Somebody should give him one [metallic-coated] shoe as the half-season Silver Spikes winner. I mean it’s amazing.”

Bardeen has been amazing for two seasons now. Last year, he belted four pinch-hit home runs to finish with six dingers and 26 RBIs in 100 at-bats. Nearly half of his 28 hits went for extra bases (13). In his previous 110 at-bats, including just five during the ’Eaters run to the 2007 College World Series, Bardeen had just 14 RBIs and no home runs.

This season, he has bolstered the bullpen, striking out 10 in 11 2/3 innings while notching the aforementioned three wins in as many decisions.

 The UCI men’s basketball team’s 69-68 first-round Big West Tournament loss to UC Davis Wednesday at the Anaheim Convention Center marked only the second time the Anteaters have lost in the first round.

The only other first-round exit came in 1990 against Cal State Fullerton.

 The Anteaters shot just five free throws, making three, against the Aggies, who were 10 of 14 from the line, including two game-winners from Mark Payne with eight seconds left.

The five free throws were not only the fewest shot in any game this season, but the fewest since the Anteaters were two for two in a loss at UC Santa Barbara, Feb. 12, 1990.

 The UCI men’s volleyball team has ascended to the No. 1 national ranking after the then-No. 2-ranked visitors defeated then-top-ranked Cal State Northridge in five games in Friday’s Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match.

The Anteaters do not have the consistent stars they had when they earned the program’s first national championship in 2007. But Coach John Speraw said he has more tools in his toolbox than the 2007 team possessed.

Evidence of this was Friday’s win coming with All-Americans Jon Steller, a senior opposite, and Brent Asuka, a senior libero, spending most of the match on the bench.

“It’s amazing,” said senior setter Ryan Ammerman, who had 52 assists, seven digs, six kills, four block assists and two aces for the winners. “One guy is not quite on his game and somebody else will come in. I mean [backup libero] Nick Spittle did an unbelievable job tonight and Cory Yoder [subbed] in and did an unbelievable job. And, next match, it will be Asuka and Taylor Wilson and Stellar again. It’s unbelievable.”

 Ammerman, who Speraw said is having a remarkable season, made an amazing play against the Matadors.

Leaping toward a wayward pass near the net, the 6-foot-8 Ammerman said he heard 6-7 middle blocker Kevin Wynne, positioned behind his back at the time, call for a set. So, Ammerman blindly delivered a one-handed back set to Wynne, who pounded it for a kill, to the amazement of the stunned opponents, as well as most of the 1,197 in attendance.

“We have never practiced that,” Ammerman said afterward. “[Wynne] said ‘Back,’ and I trusted he’d be in the right spot and he trusted that I’d put [the ball] there.

“I’m very anxious to see that one on video,” Ammerman said. “There are a few other [plays] I can’t wait to see, but that one especially.”

 A quick career congratulations to Kelly Cochran, who said after the UCI women’s basketball team bowed out in the first round of the Big West Tournament Wednesday that she would forego her final year of eligibility next season due to chronic knee problems.

Cochran wasted little time her freshman year becoming one of the most productive and determined players in the program and her drive to contribute through years of subsequent injuries — and noticeable pain — only elevated the respect held for her by anyone who ever saw her compete.

But even on her best day as a player, she was and is much more impressive as a person.