SAN DIEGO, Calif. --- UC Irvine could never put anything together falling 5-1 at San Diego State Tuesday night despite 10 hits.
UCI (20-13, 4-5) left 11 runners on base and put runners on in seven of nine innings Tuesday night managing just a lone run on a Grant Palmer RBI single with two outs in the ninth.
SDSU (11-23) got all their runs early starting with a solo blast from Spencer Thornton with one out in the second inning to give the Aztecs the early 1-0 lead. They would add a second in the inning, and piece together two more the next inning and solo tally in the fourth to build their 5-0 lead.
Aztec starter Dominic Purpura got the job done over five innings scattering five Anteater this while walking just one to shut down the 'Eater attack.
Anteater starter Chris Vargas lasted 2.2 innings in his first career start. After spotless first inning, he labored in the second and third throwing a season-high 71 pitches allowing four of SDSU's runs, two earned, while striking out three.
Seven Anteater relievers mopped up allowing just one run over the final 5.1 innings to keep things within reach.
The offense seemed to get runners in scoring position, but could not work anything across. John Brontsema and Andrew Martinez each had a pair of hits including a double. Martinez worked that double that led off the ninth inning into the 'Eaters only run as Palmer singled into right as one of his two hits to break the drought extending the 'Eaters' streak to 58 games without being shutout.
Keston Hiura also extended his streak to 49 consecutive games on base with a first-inning single. He would also reach on an error before being lifted in the sixth inning.
SDSU had two-hit nights from Chase Calabuig and CJ Saylor while five different Aztecs contributed RBIs and scored runs.
The Anteater defense also committed four errors with only one really hurting the 'Eaters on the scoreboard.
UCI was swept in the season series by the Aztecs following a 4-2 loss to open the home schedule for the Anteaters. Next up is a three-game series at UC Davis to complete this eight-game road swing. Game one is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, April 22 in Davis as the first of five consecutive days the Anteaters will play.
