UCI’s Orloff honored once again

Ben Orloff, a senior shortstop for the UC Irvine baseball team last season, was among five players named to the Lowe’s Senior CLASS All-American first team.

Orloff, who won the Brooks Wallace award, given annually by the College Baseball Foundation to the top collegiate shortstop, was recognized as an exemplary student-athlete who excelled in four areas: classroom, character, community and competition on the field.

Orloff was drafted in the ninth round (No. 281 overall) by the Houston Astros after hitting .358 with 91 hits, 62 runs, 18 stolen bases and 28 runs batted in for the Anteaters.

The Big West Conference Player of the Year was drafted in the 19th round by the Colorado Rockies after the 2008 season, but elected to return to UCI for his senior campaign. He helped Coach Mike Gillespie’s squad finish 45-15, win the program’s first Big West title and earn the No. 1 national ranking.

Orloff is the UCI career leader in hits (281) runs (178) and games (241). He also ranks second in school annals with 61 stolen bases.

He received his degree in criminology and was named UCI’s Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Orloff made his professional debut Friday as the starting second baseman for the Tri-City ValleyCats, in the Class A New York Penn League.

— From staff reports