Erickson honored

UC Irvine freshman closer Blair Erickson, who leads the nation with

11 saves, has been named to Baseball America’s 2004 midseason

All-American freshman team.

Erickson entered Friday’s game against UC Santa Barbara with an

0-1 record, a 2.91 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings pitched.

His 11 saves, six of which have come against top-25 teams, are a

school single-season record. He is three shy of the Big West

Conference freshman save record set by Chad Cordero of Cal State

Fullerton in 2001.

UCI Coach John Savage, who had guided the Anteaters, ranked No. 10

by Collegiate Baseball, to a 21-6-1 record heading into Friday, was

singled out as one of the nation’s top coaches in Baseball America’s

midseason report.