IRVINE, Calif. --- A pair of unearned runs were the difference Friday night as UC Irvine dropped a 3-1 decision to Wright State at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark.

Elliot Surrey struck out a career-best nine batters in five innings of work and held the Raiders to three hits but was tagged with his first loss.

Surrey surrendered a leadoff double to Kieston Greene to start the game that was cashed in by a two-out, RBI hit from Michael Timm, who reached safely in all five plate appearances for the Raiders.

In the bottom of the third, the Anteaters loaded the bases on a bunt single by Evan Cassolato, a hit from Kris Paulino and Chris Rabago took first after being plunked by starter Travis Hissong. Taylor Sparks drew a four-pitch walk to push across Cassolato for the tying run.

Similar to his last start, Surrey settled in after the first and went on to hurl four scoreless innings. The crafty southpaw found himself in a bases-loaded situation in the fourth but induced a bouncer back to the mound and flipped the ball to Jerry McClanahan for the force at home to end the frame.

A UCI error to lead off the top of the sixth put Andrew McCafferty on first and the Anteaters went to the bullpen to Matt Fielding, who entered with two on and no outs. Also a lefty, Fielding retired the first two batters he faced before giving up a single to Jeff Limbaugh that scored the eventual game-winning run.

The Raiders scored again in the eighth as a fielding error on a single with one out allowed Timm to take third. WSU loaded the bases and a grounder was mishandled by the Anteaters, allowing the final run to score.

UCI rallied to load the bases in the bottom of the eighth on three straight hits from Sparks, Connor Spencer and McClanahan. However, reliever E.J. Trapino struck out one and Andrew Elliott picked off a base-runner before posting a strikeout to snuff out the Anteater rally.

The Anteaters host Arizona State Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Anteater Ballpark.

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