LONG BEACH, Calif. --- UC Irvine had the right stuff for 7.1 innings, but the Dirtbags scratched out the tying runs and finished off the win with a 12th-inning, bases-loaded single to sink the Anteaters, 3-2, Friday night at Blair Field.
Senior catcher Eric Hutting had come in to play catcher in the ninth, and proved to be the LBSU (20-12, 4-3) savior as he came up with the bases loaded and five infielders in a tie game in the 12th. Hutting lifted a pitch high into center with no outfielder in sight to end the game with one out.
Hutting had two hits in the game in his two at-bats as a sub. His fellow catcher, David Banuelos, made it all possible with a clutch two-run single in the eighth that scooted under the charging John Brontsema at shortstop to tie the game plating two runners.
The plays smudged an otherwise masterful night from senior Elliot Surrey who had held LBSU in check into the eighth inning. He one-hit the Dirtbags through six innings and allowed just three hits total while striking out six Dirtbags. He was charged with the two runs that scored after Calvin Faucher was called upon in the eighth and could not hold back the Dirtbags.
The bullpen did all they could as Faucher locked down the ninth along with Miles Glazier who stranded his 11th inherited runner this season. Ben Ritchey went 1.2 innings before loading up the bases in the 12th and surrendering the game-winner for his second loss this season.
LBSU rode starter Chris Mathewson into the eighth as he scattered eight hits and struck out seven Anteaters over 99 pitches. Austin McGeorge and Chris Rivera shut down UCI over the final 4.2 innings allowing just three baserunners while Rivera locked up his first win of the year.
UCI (19-11, 3-4) did pound out nine hits on the evening with four from Keston Hiura, his second 4-hit performance of the season, to bump him back over the .400-mark. Cole Kreuter supplied the runs doubling home a pair in the fifth after Jonathan Munoz doubled to open the inning and Griffin Mazur reached on an error as he attempted to sacrifice him to third, one of three sacrifices by the 'Eaters in the contest.
The 'Eaters had a chance to extend the lead to three in the eighth with Hiura at third base and one out, but Adam Alcantara could not convert a 2-strike squeeze attempt, and Hiura was tagged out between third and home to turn the run away and keep it a two-run margin.
Grant Palmer also continued to rake with two more hits keeping him above .500 in the seven conference games so far. Mazur also dazzled behind the plate throwing out two Dirtbags on the bases.
The 4-hour, 2-minute contest matched the longest game of the series making it the third time the 'Eaters and Dirtbags had gone 12 innings. UCI had won the previous two. It's also the longest game since 2014 when UCI and Fresno State went 13 innings in the opening series.
The 'Eaters are now 1-1 in extra-inning games this season, and will look to turn things around on Saturday, April 16, with a 2:00 p.m. game back at Blair Field with a pair of 5-1 starters going in Darren McGaughan and UCI's own Cameron Bishop.
