Cipriano in comfort zone

It’s no coincidence that Cody Cipriano is locked in at the plate. He is, after all, truly home.

The junior is at home in the UC Irvine baseball program, at ease playing second base, at peace with leaving his pitching days behind and similarly comfortable hitting third in the Anteaters’ batting order.

At various points in his collegiate career, Cipriano’s baseball universe was not always so symmetrically aligned.

As the Anteaters (36-22) face UCLA (32-23) in the opening round of the four-team NCAA Malibu Regional today at 11 a.m. at Pepperdine University, Cipriano is Coach Dave Serrano’s most dangerous hitter.

A second-team All-Big West Conference performer, he leads the team in batting average (.361), hits (66, tied with Taylor Holiday, who has 43 more at-bats), slugging percentage (.519), on-base percentage (.462), doubles (17) and walks (27). His four home runs, 34 RBIs and 16 stolen bases (in 20 attempts) rank second and he is third on the team with 30 runs.

“He’s playing like an All-American,” Serrano said of the powerfully built 6-foot, 200-pounder. “He’s carried us lately and he has been a big spark plug for us. He is just on it right now and he’s finally producing like this whole coaching staff thought all along that he could.”

This coaching staff was one of several changes Cipriano has experienced since arriving from Westlake High.

Cipriano was recruited as a pitcher and hitter by then-coach John Savage, who left after Cipriano’s freshman season to take over at UCLA.

Cipriano said he considered following Savage to Westwood.

“I had a great experience my freshman year with Coach Savage,” Cipriano said. “He’s an unbelievable coach and a great guy. I was one of the first guys Savage talked to [about leaving UCI]. I had the opportunity to transfer if I wanted to and to go to UCLA and play in the Pac-10, which was a pretty good opportunity. But [Savage] stressed the importance of staying with a core group of guys at Irvine.

“We had a pretty special recruiting class come in with me, guys like Justin Cassel, Blair Erickson and Chad Lundahl. We were all best friends and we were all living together. [Savage] did a really good job of keeping us all focused on what was really important. I’ll always respect [Savage] for that.”

Stability, however, has not been a staple this season for Cipriano, who opened the year as the starting first baseman, after playing second and third as a sophomore.

“[Coaches] came to me in the fall about moving to first base and I told them that anything that would get me in the lineup and help the team, I was more than happy to do,” Cipriano said.

But after being swept in three games in the conference-opening series at Long Beach State, Cipriano was shifted back to second. The move allowed both Jaime Martinez and Zach Robinson to consistently bolster the lineup, sharing the first base/designated hitter role.

It also made Cipriano’s life much easier.

“I feel much more comfortable at second,” he said. “I kind of felt like a fish out of water at first.”

After dropping two of three against conference champion Cal State Fullerton, the Anteaters won 17 of their final 24 to finish third in conference and advance to the postseason.

“When you look back at our season, [moving Cipriano to second] was a big thing,” Serrano said. “Since we made that move, our record is pretty phenomenal.”

Cipriano, who was moved to the No. 3 hole on May 19 after hitting leadoff for 20 games, produced some phenomenal numbers down the stretch, as well as more than a few highlight-reel defensive gems at second.

In 13 May games, he was 23 for 50 (a .460 average). In the final week, spanning four games, he was nine for 17 (a .529 clip), including two home runs, to earn Big West Player of the Week honors.

Not even a gash on his right cheek that required 60 stitches to repair ? he tangled with an opponent’s spikes at second base on May 21 at Cal State Northridge ? could slow his offensive rampage.

Cipriano returned to the lineup two days later, where he remains, thoroughly at home.

“I feel great at the plate right now,” Cipriano said. “To be going this well at this time of the season is a really good feeling for me. I believe hitting is contagious, so, hopefully, some other guys can catch on and we can definitely make a run at [winning the regional].”

SCHEDULE:

Today -- UCI vs. UCLA, 11 a.m.; Pepperdine vs. Missouri, 3 p.m.

Saturday -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 11 a.m.; Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 3 p.m.

Sunday -- Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 11 a.m.; Winner game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 3 p.m.

Monday -- Game 7, if necessary, 11 a.m.

THE FIELD:

UC Irvine (36-22)

Top hitters: Junior Cody Cipriano (.361, four homers, 34 RBIs, 16 steals); senior Jaime Martinez (.287, eight homers, 45 RBIs); and sophomore Taylor Holiday (.292, 31 RBIs, 47 runs).

Top pitchers: Freshman Scott Gorgen (7-4, 2.52 ERA); junior Justin Cassel (7-8, 3.41); senior Glenn Swanson (9-4, 2.81); and junior closer Blair Erickson (5-0, 2.22, 13 saves, a school-record 40 career saves).

UCLA (36-22)

Top hitters: Senior Chris Jenson (.327, six homers, 35 RBIs); Freshman Brandon Crawford (.320, six homers, 29 RBIs); Junior Hector Ambriz (.303, five homers, 34 RBIs).

Top pitchers: Junior Dave Huff, a former Anteater (7-3, 2.82); Ambriz (7-7, 3.97); Junior Tyson Brummett (6-6, 4.55).

Pepperdine (40-19)

Top hitters: Senior David Uribes (.374, 85 hits, 25 RBIs); Junior Chad Tracy (.329, six homers, 43 RBIs); Senior Nick Kliebert (.352, 35 RBIs).

Top pitchers: Sophomore Barry Enright (12-1, 4.20); senior Paul Coleman (7-5, 2.78); Senior James Johnson (6-1, 3.13); Freshman closer Brett Hunter (5-3, 2.43, 10 saves).

Missouri (31-25)

Top hitters: Senior Zane Taylor (.346, 41 RBIs, 14 steals); Sophomore Jacob Priday (.299, 11 homers, 48 RBIs); senior Derek Chambers (.304, five homers, 36 RBIs).

Top pitchers: Junior Nathan Culp (11-5, 3.24); junior Max Scherzer (7-1, 1.89., 71 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings); Freshman Rick Zagone (5-3, 3.62).dpt.02-ucibase-1-BPhotoInfoH11RIT8820060602iza8jzncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)UC Irvine’s Cody Cipriano, shown here belting an RBI double in a game against Pacific earlier this season, leads Anteaters in several offensive categories.