FULLERTON, Calif. --- The Anteater bullpen suffered its second blow in as many days, giving up a walk-off home run to Carlos Lopez as UC Irvine was swept 7-5 Sunday at Goodwin Field.
UCI built a 5-2 lead in support of Andrew Morales, who held the Titans to two runs on two hits in seven innings.
However, the Titans mounted their come-back in the eighth. With Jimmy Litchfield in relief, Richy Pedroza drove a full-count pitch to left-center. Jeff Stephens, tracking the ball all the way, had the ball in the glove but couldn't hang onto it after crashing into the fence for a double. Matt Chapman followed by slapping a one-out single through the right side to put runners on first and third. Litchfield gave way to Mitch Merten, who struck out J.D. Davis but then allowed a two-run triple to Michael Lorenzen to cut the lead to 5-4. Merten then hit Hutting with the pitch but Chad Wallace lined out to Scott Gottschling to leave the tying and go-ahead runs stranded.
Merten's struggles continued in the ninth as the right-hander allowed a leadoff single and a one-out walk, prompting the Anteaters to hand the ball to Evan Brock to face Lopez.
The Anteaters trailed early as Morales walked the first and third batters of the first inning and CS Fullerton capitalized, getting an RBI hit from Davis and a sacrifice fly from Lorenzen to take a 2-0 lead.
However, UCI struck back in the fourth. Dominque Taylor drove a first-pitch offering from Grahamm Wiest off the top of the left-centerfield wall that was initially ruled a home run by the third-base umpire. After a meeting with the officiating crew, the home run was ruled a triple and Connor Spencer delivered a sacrifice fly to center to plate Taylor, cutting the Titan lead to 2-1.
Taylor kicked off an Anteater rally again in the sixth, leading off the frame with a clean single up the middle. Spencer flared a double down the left-field line and Taylor Sparks tied the game with a hit up the middle to drive in Taylor. A walk to Jerry McClanahan loaded the bases with one out and Jeff Stephens hit a bouncer to short, scoring Spencer for the 3-2 lead.
The Anteaters tacked on two runs in the eighth as Sparks singled and stole second before coming around on a double from McClanahan. A passed ball put McClanahan on third and Stephens delivered again, this time with a clean hit up the middle to widen the margin to 5-2.
Taylor led the offense, batting 3 for 5 with two runs scored while Stephens was 2 for 4 with two RBI. Sparks, Spencer and McClanahan all drove in a run apiece. Merten fell to 4-2 with the loss after giving up two runs on two hits in an inning.
Koby Gauna picked up the win to improve to 3-1 after pitching an inning of two-hit relief. The duo of Lopez and Lorenzen combined for six RBI in the win.
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