IRVINE, Calif. --- The Anteaters nearly overcame a 4-1 deficit but were held off by San Diego State as No. 21 UC Irvine lost a 4-3 decision Saturday in the series finale at Anteater Ballpark.
Starter Evan Brock kept the Aztecs off the board for six innings and worked with a one-run lead after Taylor Sparks scored on Jerry McClanahan's sacrifice in the bottom of the second.
SDSU broke through in the top of the seventh. Brad Haynal singled and Tyler Adkinson tied the game with a one-out hit up the middle. Evan Potter followed with a hit-and-run single to center to give the Aztecs the 2-1 lead. Brock handed the ball off to Evan Manarino, who hit Greg Allen with the pitch before inducing a double-player grounder to Sparks.
The Aztecs added to their lead in the eighth, kicking off the inning with a pair of leadoff singles against reliever Sean Sparling. Danny Sheehan delivered an RBI hit off Jimmy Litchfield and Haynal's sacrifice fly to center would cap the scoring for SDSU.
UCI answered in the bottom of the eighth. Chris Rabago delivered a leadoff single and Seyler gave way to closer Michael Cederoth. Spencer greeted the right-hander with a clean hit through the left side. Cederoth retired Sparks and Munoz but McClanahan came up clutch with a two-run hit to left. McClanahan went to second on the throw and Haynal's throw to second base was high. Allen, backing up the play, overran the ball and McClanahan was able to scramble to third on the error to put the tying run at third with two outs. However, Cederoth induced a bouncer to first to end the rally.
That would be all as the Anteaters were retired in order in the ninth and drops to 7-3 in one-run games.
Brock pitched 6.1 innings, striking out seven and allowed two runs on seven hits but fell to 6-3. Sparks was 3 for 4 with a run scored while McClanahan drove in all three UCI runs. Litchfield pitched 1.2 shutout innings of two-hit relief while Manarino and Merten combined for an inning of no-hit work.
Seyler improved to 6-3 while Cederoth picked up his 15th save.
__________________________________________________________
For UC Irvine Athletics ticket information, please call (949) 824-5000 or e-mail athletics.tickets@uci.edu. For more information click here.
For information on how you can help support UC Irvine Athletics, please call (949) 824-6933 or e-mail aaf@uci.edu. For additional information, click here.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
