IRVINE, Calif. --- No. 23 UC Irvine battled back from a four-run deficit but fell short in a 4-3 loss to No. 22 Cal Poly Saturday at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark.
UCI trailed early after the Mustangs hit a pair of doubles against Matt Whitehouse in the first to take a 2-0 lead. Denver Chavez doubled to lead off the game and Jordan Ellis reached safely on the error by Connor Spencer. Brian Mundell drove in both runs with a double to left.
Whitehouse settled in after the Mundell double, retiring the side in order and went on to blank the Mustangs through the fifth.
In the sixth, with Ellis at first on a one-out hit, Mundell slapped a hit-and-run single through the right side. Scott Gottschling, attempting to throw behind Mundell, overthrew Spencer, allowing Ellis to score on the error. Following a two-out single by Jimmy Allen, Whitehouse committed the second error of the inning, throwing the ball wide past Spencer on a pick-off attempt that allowed Mundell to score from second for the four-run lead.
Cal Poly starter Matt Imhof shut out the Anteaters through the first five innings but ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth. Dominique Taylor started the two-out rally with a single, stole second and took third on an error by catcher Stewart Elliot. Spencer drew a walk and Taylor Sparks doubled to left to put UCI on the board. Ronnie Shaeffer came up clutch with a two-run single to left-center, cutting the Mustang lead to one at 4-3.
UCI rallied again in the eighth against closer Reed Reilly. Taylor delivered again with a one-out single and Reilly then walked Sparks (intentional) and Shaeffer to load the bases with two outs. However Reilly got out of the inning by popping up Gottschling to end the frame. He would go on to retire the ninth in order for his 14th save.
Whitehouse dropped to 4-6 with the loss while Kyle Hooper came out of the bullpen and held Cal Poly to one hit in three innings.
Taylor led the team with two hits while Shaeffer drove in two runs.
Imhoff climbed to 5-3 after striking out six in seven innings and allowing three runs on four hits. Mundell paced the Mustang offense with two runs on two hits.
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