College Roundup: UCI edges Hawaii in Big West baseball

BASEBALL

UC Irvine 5, Hawaii 4

HONOLULU – Keston Hiura went two for four to lift his batting average to .402 as the visiting Anteaters led, 5-0, after 3.5 innings and held on to claim the Big West Conference series on Monday.

It was the first series win in Big West play for UCI (19-30, 6-12 in conference). The ’Eaters, who won two of three against the Rainbow Warriors, earned their first series win since mid-March.

Cole Spear earned the win and Calvin Faucher threw two scoreless innings for his 12th save, the 20th of his two-year UCI career.

Alex Guenette was two for four with a double, an RBI and two runs, while Adam Alcantara had a pair of sacrifice flies for the winners.

Hawaii is 26-19, 8-10.

UCI visits UC Riverside for a three-game conference series beginning Friday.

UC Irvine 4, Hawaii 3

HONOLULU – Adrian Damla hit a two-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning to help the visiting Anteaters overcome a 3-2 deficit in the Big West Conference game on Sunday.

It was the first homer of the season for Damla, a freshman.

Parker Coss was two for three with two RBIs for UCI.

Freshman Andre Pallante pitched 2 2/3 scoreless relief innings to earn the win and improve to 6-3.

Calvin Faucher earned his 11th save.

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD

Big West Championships

FULLERTON – UC Irvine senior Lloyd Sicard earned his third Big West Conference title in the 110-meter high hurdles and was on the winning 4x400 relay to pace the Anteaters in the two-day meet that concluded Saturday at Cal State Fullerton.

Sicard won his hurdles race in 13.61 seconds. He teamed with sophomores Isaiah Jewitt and Paul Resong, as well as senior Brandon Howard to top the relay field in three minutes, 9.19 seconds.

Jewett won the 800 in 1:49.96 and Howard was second in the 400 in 52.56.

Sicard, Howard and freshmen Evan Singletary and Jordan Gibson were second in the 4x100 relay in 40.62.

Senior Matt Seawright was second in the hammer throw with a mark of 210 feet, 11 inches, and was third in the discus (180-8).

UCI finished seventh as a team.

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD

Big West Championships

FULLERTON – UC Irvine senior Megan George earned her third straight Big West Conference title in the 100-meter hurdles to pace the Anteaters in the two-day meet that concluded Saturday at Cal State Fullerton.

George’s winning time was 13.43 seconds. She also teamed with junior Persis William-Mensah, junior Tyra Jones and sophomore Hope Bushnell to finish third and earn all-conference honors in the 4x100 relay in a season-best 45.09.

William-Mensah, an Estancia High product, was second in the 100 in 11.45.

George, seniors Saniya Syed and Crystal Lizoala, as well as junior Simone Buchanan, broke a five-year-old school record and were fourth in the 4x400 relay in three minutes, 42.57 seconds.

Senior Melanie Speech was second in the javelin with a personal-best mark of 144 feet, while sophomore Barbara Coward was second in the discus (179-5).

UCI was seventh as a team.

MEN’S GOLF

NCAA Regional

STANFORD – UC Irvine junior David Kim closed out his season Wednesday by finishing 20th at the NCAA Regional at the Stanford Golf Course.

Kim, competing individually, was five-over-par (75) in the final round, to post a 54-hole total of two-over 212.

He failed to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Kim, the Big West Conference Player of the Year, had eight top-10 finishes this season. He was under par in 16 rounds with 10 rounds in the 60s, including a three-under 67 in the opening round of the NCAA Stanford Regional on Monday.

He led UCI with a 71.28 average this season.