# 2024 UC Irvine Anteaters baseball team

The 2024 UC Irvine Anteaters baseball team represented the University of California, Irvine during the 2024 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Anteaters played their home games at Cicerone Field as a member of the Big West Conference. They were led by head coach Ben Orloff, in his sixth season as manager.

## Previous season

UC Irvine came off a 38–17 (19–11) season. The Anteaters finished fourth in the Big West Conference, but did not receive an at-large berth to the 2023 NCAA Division I baseball tournament.

## Preseason
### Preseason Big West awards and honors

Preseason All-Big West Team :
| Player | No. | Position | Class |
| Dub Gleed | 4 | 3B | Junior |
| Caden Kendle | 5 | OF | Senior |
| Anthony Martinez | 55 | 1B | Sophomore |

### Coaches poll

The coaches poll was released on February 9, 2024. UC Irvine was picked to finish second in the conference and received two first-place votes.
Coaches' Poll :
| Pos. | Team | Points |
| 1 | UCSB | 99 (9) |
| 2 | UC Irvine | 89 (2) |
| 3 | UC San Diego | 78 |
| 4 | Hawaii | 70 |
| 5 | CSUN | 65 |
| 6 | Cal State Fullerton | 59 |
| 7 | Cal Poly | 46 |
| 8 | Long Beach State | 42 |
| 9 | UC Davis | 25 |
| 10 | Cal State Bakersfield | 21 |
| 11 | UC Riverside | 11 |

## Personnel
### Starters

Lineup :
| Pos. | No. | Player. | Year |
| C | 8 | Thomas McCaffrey | Senior |
| 1B | 55 | Anthony Martinez | Sophomore |
| 2B | 16 | Will Bermudez | RS-Junior |
| 3B | 1 | Jo Oyama | Senior |
| SS | 2 | Woody Hadeen | RS-Junior |
| LF | 5 | Caden Kendle | Senior |
| CF | 11 | Myles Smith | Junior |
| RF | 26 | Chase Call | Junior |
| DH | 4 | Dub Gleed | Junior |
Weekend Pitching Rotation :
| Day | No. | Player. | Year |
| Friday | 13 | Nick Pinto | Graduate |
| Saturday | 28 | Trevor Hansen | Freshman |
| Sunday | 27 | Brandon Luu | Freshman |

### Roster
## Game log

2024 UC Irvine Anteaters Baseball Game Log (45–14) :
Regular Season (43–12) :
February (6–0) :
| Date | TV | Opponent | Rank | Stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall | BWC |
| February 16 | ESPN+ | North Dakota State* | No. 25 | Cicerone Field Irvine, California | W 14–2 | Pinto (1–0) | Puetz (0–1) | None | 826 | 1–0 | — |
| February 17 | ESPN+ | North Dakota State* | No. 25 | Cicerone Field | W 7–2 | Luu (1–0) | Knight (0–1) | None | 745 | 2–0 | — |
| February 18 | ESPN+ | North Dakota State* | No. 25 | Cicerone Field | W 10–4 | Brooks (1–0) | Koenig (0–1) | None | 718 | 3–0 | — |
| February 20 | KUCI | San Diego* | No. 25 | Cicerone Field | Canceled (inclement weather) | Canceled (inclement weather) | Canceled (inclement weather) | Canceled (inclement weather) | Canceled (inclement weather) | 3–0 | — |
| February 23 | ESPN+ | at Tulane* | No. 25 | Turchin Stadium New Orleans, Louisiana | W 5–4 | Pinto (2–0) | Saum (0–2) | Tibbett (1) | 1,692 | 4–0 | — |
| February 24 | ESPN+ | at Tulane* | No. 25 | Turchin Stadium | W 11–4 | Luu (2–0) | Cehajić (0–1) | Ojeda (1) | 2,005 | 5–0 | — |
| February 25 | ESPN+ | at Tulane* | No. 25 | Turchin Stadium | W 10–7 | Hansen (1–0) | Lombardi (0–1) | None | 1,692 | 6–0 | — |
March (16–3) :
| Date | TV | Opponent | Rank | Stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall | BWC |
| Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic ||||||||||||
| March 1 | ESPN+ | San Diego* | No. 23 | Cicerone Field | W 3–1 | Pinto (3–0) | Randall (0–1) | Tibbett (2) | 856 | 7–0 | — |
| March 2 | ESPN+ | Michigan* | No. 23 | Cicerone Field | W 12–4 | Wheeler (1–0) | Denner (1–2) | Martin (1) | 896 | 8–0 | — |
| March 3 | MLBN | vs. UCLA* | No. 23 | Dodger Stadium Los Angeles, California | W 5–2 | Ojeda (1–0) | Rodriguez (0–1) | Tibbett (3) | 4,617 | 9–0 | — |
| March 5 | ESPN+ | Cal Baptist* | No. 22 | Cicerone Field | W 13–4 | Luu (3–0) | Wilson (0–2) | Tibbett (4) | 738 | 10–0 | — |
| March 7 | MWN | at Fresno State* | No. 22 | Pete Beiden Field Fresno, California | W 13–4 | Brooks (2–0) | Dixon (2–1) | None | 1,658 | 11–0 | — |
| March 8 | KUCI | vs. Columbia* | No. 22 | Pete Beiden Field | W 32–2 | Pierrello (1–0) | Sheets (0–2) | None | 1,239 | 12–0 | — |
| March 8 | MWN | at Fresno State* | No. 22 | Pete Beiden Field | L 1–13 | Beal (1–2) | Pinto (3–1) | None | 1,239 | 12–1 | — |
| March 9 | KUCI | vs. Columbia* | No. 22 | Pete Beiden Field | W 25–7 | Hansen (2–0) | Edwards (0–1) | None | 1,438 | 13–1 | — |
| March 13 | ESPN+ | UConn* | No. 19 | Cicerone Field | L 0–5 | Schild (2–0) | Vizcaino (0–1) | None | 622 | 13–2 | — |
| March 15 | ESPN+ | UC Davis | No. 19 | Cicerone Field | W 1–0 | Tibbett (1–0) | Delaney (1–1) | None | 831 | 14–2 | 1–0 |
| March 16 | ESPN+ | UC Davis | No. 19 | Cicerone Field | W 6–1 | Ojeda (2–0) | Valdez (1–1) | None | 700 | 15–2 | 2–0 |
| March 17 | ESPN+ | UC Davis | No. 19 | Cicerone Field | L 10–12$^{11}$ | Woolridge (1–0) | Wheeler (1–1) | None | 956 | 15–3 | 2–1 |
| March 22 | ESPN+ | Cal State Bakersfield | No. 24 | Cicerone Field | W 10–3 | Pinto (4–1) | Verdugo (0–3) | None | 846 | 16–3 | 3–1 |
| March 23 | ESPN+ | Cal State Bakersfield | No. 24 | Cicerone Field | W 12–4 | Hansen (3–0) | Gutierrez (0–2) | None | 586 | 17–3 | 4–1 |
| March 24 | ESPN+ | Cal State Bakersfield | No. 24 | Cicerone Field | W 3–2$^{12}$ | Utagawa (1–0) | Grosjean (1–3) | None | 591 | 18–3 | 5–1 |
| March 26 | ESPN+ | at Loyola Marymount* | No. 20 | George C. Page Stadium Los Angeles, California | W 10–9$^{11}$ | Pierrello (2–0) | Kershaw (1–1) | Zamudio (1) | 307 | 19–3 | — |
| March 28 | ESPN+ | at Hawaii | No. 20 | Les Murakami Stadium Honolulu, Hawaii | W 6–3 | Pinto (5–1) | Giroux (3–1) | Tibbett (5) | 3,291 | 20–3 | 6–1 |
| March 29 | ESPN+ | at Hawaii | No. 20 | Les Murakami Stadium | W 12–8 | Rincover (1–0) | Abshier (1–2) | Tibbett (6) | 4,159 | 21–3 | 7–1 |
| March 30 | ESPN+ | at Hawaii | No. 20 | Les Murakami Stadium | W 12–5 | Ojeda (3–0) | Magdaleno (1–2) | None | 3,324 | 22–3 | 8–1 |
April (11–5) :
| Date | TV | Opponent | Rank | Stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall | BWC |
| April 5 | ESPN+ | No. 23 UCSB | No. 16 | Cicerone Field | W 9–3 | Pinto (6–1) | Gallagher (2–1) | None | 772 | 23–3 | 9–1 |
| April 6 | ESPN+ | No. 23 UCSB | No. 16 | Cicerone Field | L 4–5 | Gutierrez (5–0) | Hansen (3–1) | Flora (4) | 1,327 | 23–4 | 9–2 |
| April 7 | ESPN+ | No. 23 UCSB | No. 16 | Cicerone Field | W 11–4 | Luu (4–0) | Ager (2–3) | None | 1,036 | 24–4 | 10–2 |
| April 9 | P12N | at USC* | No. 12 | George C. Page Stadium | L 5–12 | Johnson (3–0) | Grack (0–1) | None | 374 | 24–5 | — |
| April 12 | ESPN+ | at UC San Diego | No. 12 | Triton Ballpark La Jolla, California | L 4–15 | Eyanson (5–1) | Pinto (6–2) | None | 500 | 24–6 | 10–3 |
| April 13 | ESPN+ | at UC San Diego | No. 12 | Triton Ballpark | W 16–3 | Hansen (4–1) | Ernisse (1–2) | Martin (2) | 426 | 25–6 | 11–3 |
| April 14 | ESPN+ | at UC San Diego | No. 12 | Triton Ballpark | L 9–10 | I. Martinez (3–1) | Tibbett (1–1) | None | 524 | 25–7 | 11–4 |
| April 17 | ESPN+ | USC* | No. 15 | Cicerone Field | L 4–12 | Ebner (2–0) | Brooks (2–1) | None | 955 | 25–8 | — |
| April 19 | ESPN+ | San Diego State* | No. 15 | Cicerone Field | W 4–3 | Pinto (7–2) | Riordan (3–4) | Tibbett (7) | 920 | 26–8 | — |
| April 20 | MWN | at San Diego State* | No. 15 | Tony Gwynn Stadium San Diego, California | W 9–8 | Utagawa (7–2) | Miranda (1–1) | Tibbett (8) | 1,044 | 27–8 | — |
| April 21 | ESPN+ | San Diego State | No. 15 | Cicerone Field | W 7–6$^{10}$ | Tibbett (2–1) | Canada (0–4) | None | 1,203 | 28–8 | — |
| April 23 | P12N | at UCLA* | No. 12 | Jackie Robinson Stadium Los Angeles, California | W 9–7 | Martin (1–0) | Ruff (2–4) | Utagawa (1) | 680 | 29–8 | — |
| April 26 | KUCI | at UC Riverside | No. 12 | Ballpark at RSC Riverside, California | W 15–1 | Pinto (8–2) | Capacete (0–6) | None | 269 | 30–8 | 12–4 |
| April 27 | KUCI | at UC Riverside | No. 12 | Ballpark at RSC | W 15–7 | Hansen (5–1) | Flores (0–6) | None | 276 | 31–8 | 13–4 |
| April 28 | KUCI | at UC Riverside | No. 12 | Ballpark at RSC | W 12–3 | Luu (5–0) | Andrunas (1–1) | None | 227 | 32–8 | 14–4 |
| April 30 | ESPN+ | at San Diego* | No. 9 | Fowler Park San Diego, California | W 8–4 | Grack (1–1) | Kysar (1–1) | None | 473 | 33–8 | — |
May (10–4) :
| Date | TV | Opponent | Rank | Stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall | BWC |
| May 3 | ESPN+ | Cal Poly | No. 9 | Cicerone Field | L 5–10 | Wright (7–2) | Ojeda (3–1) | None | 874 | 33–9 | 14–5 |
| May 4 | ESPN+ | Cal Poly | No. 9 | Cicerone Field | W 4–3 (10) | Tibbett (3–1) | Baum (2–4) | None | 904 | 34–9 | 15–5 |
| May 5 | ESPN+ | Cal Poly | No. 9 | Cicerone Field | L 2–11 | Volmerding (1–0) | Luu (5–1) | None | 1,036 | 34–10 | 15–6 |
| May 7 | ESPN+ | UCLA* | No. 16 | Cicerone Field | W 9–6 | Ojeda (4–1) | Stump (0–5) | None | 1,990 | 35–10 | — |
| May 10 | ESPN+ | at Long Beach State | No. 16 | Blair Field Long Beach, California | W 18–3 | Pinto (9–2) | Geiss (3–3) | None | 2,403 | 36–10 | 16–6 |
| May 11 | ESPN+ | at Long Beach State | No. 16 | Blair Field | W 11–2 | Hansen (5–1) | Larson (2–1) | None | 2,110 | 37–10 | 17–6 |
| May 12 | ESPN+ | at Long Beach State | No. 16 | Blair Field | W 7–1 | Grack (2–1) | Montgomery (3–3) | None | 1,522 | 38–10 | 18–6 |
| May 14 | ESPN+ | Loyola Marymount* | No. 13 | Cicerone Field | W 7–2 | Kelly (1–0) | Caycedo (0–2) | None | 731 | 39–10 | — |
| May 17 | ESPN+ | at Cal State Fullerton | No. 13 | Goodwin Field Fullerton, California | W 10–6 (12) | Tibbett (4–1) | Jones (0–2) | None | 1,062 | 40–10 | 19–6 |
| May 18 | ESPN+ | at Cal State Fullerton | No. 13 | Goodwin Field | L 2–9 | Rodriguez (3–7) | Hansen (5–2) | None | 1,018 | 40–11 | 19–7 |
| May 19 | ESPN+ | at Cal State Fullerton | No. 13 | Goodwin Field | W 18–4 | Kelly (2–0) | Wright (1–6) | None | 851 | 41–11 | 20–7 |
| May 23 | ESPN+ | CSUN | No. 13 | Cicerone Field | W 5–2 | Ojeda (5–1) | Pallares (0–3) | Tibbett (9) | 976 | 42–11 | 21–7 |
| May 24 | ESPN+ | CSUN | No. 13 | Cicerone Field | L 9–14 | Halamicek (6–3) | Hansen (6–3) | None | 843 | 42–12 | 21–8 |
| May 25 | ESPN+ | CSUN | No. 13 | Cicerone Field | W 14–9 | Kelly (3–0) | Wentz (0–3) | Tibbett (10) | 1,156 | 43–12 | 22–8 |
Postseason (2-2) :
NCAA Regionals (2-2) :
| Date | TV | Opponent | Rank | Stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall | Postseason Record |
| May 31 | ESPN+ | vs. Nicholls (3) | No. 21 | Goss Stadium Corvallis, Oregon | 13-12 | Utagawa (3-0) | Desandro (6-5) | None | 3,893 | 44-12 | 1-0 |
| June 1 | ESPN+ | vs. No. 7 Oregon State (1) | No. 21 | Goss Stadium | L 3-5 | Kmatz (7-2) | Hansen (6–4) | Holmes (13) | 4,224 | 44–13 | 1-1 |
| June 2 | ESPN+ | vs. Tulane (4) | No. 21 | Goss Stadium Corvallis, Oregon | 17-7 | Ojeda (6-1) | Price (3-3) | Vizcaino (1) | 3,880 | 45-13 | 2-1 |
| June 2 | ESPN+ | vs. No. 7 Oregon State (1) | No. 21 | Goss Stadium | L 6-11 | Hutcheson (4-2) | Utagawa (3-1) | None | 4,134 | 45-14 | 2-2 |
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Canceled Bold =UC Irvine team member Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll. :
Schedule Notes
* 1 2 Part of a doubleheader.
* ↑ Game will be played at George C. Page Stadium instead of USC's main field, Dedeaux Field, due to a scheduling conflict. USC will still be the designated home team.

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
| Coaches' | RV | RV* | 25 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 18* | 25 |
| Baseball America | 25 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 20* | 25 |
| NCBWA† | — | RV | 25 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 21 |
| D1Baseball | — | — | — | 23 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 21 | 21* | 23 |
| Perfect Game | — | — | — | 22 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 10 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 13* | — | — |
† NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season. * A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.