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College Roundup: UCI edges UCSB

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BASEBALL

UC Irvine 3, UC Santa Barbara 2

Junior third baseman Taylor Sparks’ two-out single in the bottom of the eighth drove in the winning run for the host Anteaters, who extended their Big West Conference winning streak to 11 on Saturday.

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UCI (31-14, 13-1 in conference), ranked No. 20 by Collegiate Baseball, has now won six straight games. The Anteaters, who began the day 1.5 games ahead of second-place Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, clinched the series victory against the Gauchos (26-13).

Junior closer Sam Moore earned his NCAA-leading 21st save to become the Big West single-season record holder by working a scoreless ninth. He now has five saves in the last six games and is closing in on the NCAA single-season record of 24.

Junior Evan Manarino earned the win in relief of starter Elliot Surrey, who allowed seven hits and two runs in 7 1.3 innings.

Connor Spencer and Jonathan Munoz were both two for four to key UCI’s eight-hit attack, while Adam Alcantara added an RBI for the winners.

UCI tied the game in the seventh inning on Alcantara’s RBI groundout and a throwing error that plated one unearned run.

The two teams conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m.

Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament

EL CAJON — Vanguard University dropped a pair of games on Friday and was eliminated from the four-team, double-elimination event at Grossmont Community College.

The No. 22-ranked Lions lost a winner’s bracket semifinal, 22-9, to top-seeded and No. 7-ranked San Diego Christian, then fell, 17-7, to No. 24-ranked Westmont.

The Lions (32-21) will hope to receive an at-large bid into the NAIA Tournament field.

Taylor McKnight was four for five with two runs batted in and Bret Collins was three for five against Westmont, which built a 13-0 lead.

McKnight, who was six for nine with five RBIs in the two games, homered against San Diego Christian, which rallied from a 6-0 deficit.

Collins (four for nine), Brandon Sandoval (three for eight) and Thomas Mobley (three for 10 with three RBIs) also had productive days for Vanguard, for which seven of eight pitchers used allowed runs in the two games.

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD

Steve Scott Invitational

Junior Itos Aikhionbare smashed the UC Irvine record in winning the shot put Saturday in the 20th annual adidas/Steve Scott Invitational at Anteater Stadium.

Aikhionbare earned her second school record with a mark of 53-9, almost two feet past the previous UCI record of 51-9 3/4 set by Alisha Misiaita in 2009. It was the second straight day for a school record as sophomore Bridget Devaney set a new mark in the hammer throw Friday at 168-0.

Aikhionbare also owns the school record in the discus throw (169-5) that she set last year. She placed second in the discus Saturday with a mark of 160-0.

Sophomore Kaulyn Lee-McNeill finished second of 26 competitors in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 60.78 and junior teammate Paige Bushnell was fifth in 61.76.

Steve Scott Invitational

UC Irvine sophomore Bridget Devaney set the school record in the hammer throw Friday on the first day of competition at UC Irvine.

Devaney’s mark of 168 feet, bested the previous mark of 166-11 that she shared with Jessica Imani.

Devaney finished seventh among 22 competitors.

Senior Lacey Surak was third in the javelin throw (151-4).

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD

Steve Scott Invitational

UC Irvine sophomore Mike Graf finished 10th in the long jump with a mark of 21 feet and freshman Nolan Del Valle placed 17th in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15 minutes, 29.96, on Friday.

ROWING

LAKE NATOMA — Orange Coast College was second in the second varsity eight, the novice eight and the second novice eight finals at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Assn. Championships, completed April 27 just outside Sacramento.

The Pirates varsity eight finished fourth.

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