Cassel shines

Barry Faulkner

Recent events may cast doubt on who has the most coveted arm in the

Cassel family. But UC Irvine baseball coach Dave Serrano would argue

that Anteater sophomore pitcher Justin Cassel’s is more valuable than

that of older brother Matt, who was drafted in the seventh-round

April 23 by the New England Patriots as a quarterback.

The younger Cassel threw the first nine-inning complete game of

his collegiate career Saturday, six days after his brother was

drafted, to propel the Anteaters to a 6-2 Big West Conference win

over visiting Cal State Northridge.

Cassel (6-2), who had an eight-inning complete game in a loss this

season, struck out seven, walked two and surrendered eight hits to

win his third straight start. And, as he has in all four of his

conference starts, as well as in each of his last six starting

assignments, he saved the Anteater staff for its weekly

“by-committee” Sunday series finale.

Cassel has averaged more than eight innings in all four conference

starts and his conditioning and ability to throw strikes helped him

go the distance against the Matadors (14-25, 0-14 in conference). He

threw just 75 pitches through seven innings and finished with 113,

one more than Northridge starter Craig Baker, who exited after six

innings.

Cassel’s strong performance helped UCI (23-17, 6-5 in conference)

win its fourth straight Big West game.

The Anteaters remain tied with UC Riverside for fourth in the Big

West.

“Justin pitched very well,” said Serrano in his first season with

the Anteaters after a noted tenure as pitching coach at defending

national champion Cal State Fullerton. “He’s got a carefree attitude

and his personality reminds me of one of my favorite players I’ve

ever coached: Kirk Saarloos [a former Fullerton star now in the

Oakland A’s starting rotation]. [Cassel] is very aware of the game

and what’s going on around him and he’s a fierce competitor.

“When he pitches, for me, it’s kind of like playing little

Nintendo. You know, which button do you push now to kind of trick

[the hitters]? Throw a change, now it’s time to throw the fastball a

little harder. Then, the curveball. It’s fun, as a pitching coach to

be calling a game like that.

“Justin does a good job of commanding the strike zone with all

four pitches most of the time. When he does that, he can be tough.”

UCI also made things tough on Baker early, as 10 of the first 15

Anteater hitters reached base.

Jaime Martinez had an RBI single, followed by an RBI double from

Matt Anderson to get the hosts rolling in the first.

Danny Miramontes’ two-run single was the key blow in a three-run

second, which also included a single, a stolen base and a run by

senior second baseman Brett Dalton.

Dalton, hitting ninth, went 4 for 4 with a triple and scored

twice.

But UCI scored only one run on eight hits the final seven innings

and Serrano said his team went through the motions in a game that

lacked atmosphere (a modest gathering of 436) and, for the most part,

excitement.

“We had 2 1/2 good innings of offense and that was enough to hold

on for the win,” Serrano said. “I thought the intensity level was

down. We need to start playing with more intensity day in and day

out.”

Martinez (2 for 4 with two RBIs), Miramontes (2 for 5 with two

RBIs) and leadoff man Ollie Linton (2 for 3 with one RBI, two runs

and two steals), were also key in the Anteaters’ 13-hit attack.

The series concludes today at 1 p.m. with senior Steve Schroer

starting on the mound for UCI.

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 6,

Cal State Northridge 2

Score by Innings

*--*

N 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 - 2 6

I 2 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 x - 6 13

*--*

Baker, Jean (7), Gaylord (8) and Fleener; Cassel and Wagner. W -

Cassel, 6-2. L - Baker, 4-5. 2B - Anderson (UCI), Ravago (CSN). 3B -

Dalton (UCI).