College baseball:

- The UC Irvine baseball team opened its Big West Conference

season with a 7-4 victory over host University of Pacific Thursday.

The Anteaters (18-13) built a 7-0 lead after 5 1/2 innings and held of

the Tigers (15-10). Catcher Chris Miller, a Cuesta College transfer, led

UCI with a 3-for-4 performance that came with a walk, one RBI, three

doubles and two runs scored. UCI junior Jon Horwitz extended his hitting

streak to nine games, going 2 for 5 with one RBI. Freshman first baseman

Matt Anderson went 2 for 3, while Brett Smith, Steve Guthrie and Chris

Klemm contributed one hit apiece.

UCI junior pitcher Sean Tracey went seven innings, delivering seven

strikeouts, while scattering four hits and walking just two. Freshman

Michael Koehler picked up his fifth save of the season after he pitched

two innings, held the Tigers scoreless and did not allow a run.

The Anteaters continue their three-game series with the Tigers today.

NONCONFERENCE

UC Irvine 7, University of Pacific 4

UC Irvine 210 040 000 - 7 11 1

Pacific 000 020 020 - 4 5 2

Tracey, Koehler (8) and Miller; Stanford, Pena (4) and Octavio. W -

Tracey, 4-3. L - Stanford, 4-1. Sv - Koehler (5). 2B - Miller (UCI) 3,

Klemm (UCI) 2, Smith (UCI). HR - Lake (P).