DAVIS, Calif. --- UCI entered Sunday needing a win to take the series and got it opening up the offense for an 11-1 win at UC Davis Sunday afternoon evening them at 6-6 in Big West play.
UC Davis (9-24, 2-10) got the scoring going, actually, with a double down the line from Mark Cardinalli in the first to take the 1-0 lead. A double play ended the rally, and UCI (22-14, 6-6) started its run.
The 'Eaters pumped out four straight hits started off by a massive double in the gap from Cole Kreuter in the third inning. Evan Cassolato and Mitchell Holland provided run-scoring singles, and then with two outs, Jonathan Munoz skipped a single off the mound and into center field to plate two more to jolt UCI into a 4-1 lead.
Cassolato returned in the fourth with an RBI double making just his second start in 40 days since returning from injury to extend the lead to 5-1.
The Aggies continued to poke at the Anteater defense looking for ways to get back into the game, but sophomore starter Alonzo Garcia continued to bend but not break going seven solid innings punctuated by a line-drive double play made by Holland to end the seventh.
UCI would put the game away in the next half inning getting the first three runners. Wyatt Castro's sac fly scored the sixth run, Cameron Bishop executed a squeeze on his second try, and then four straight singles highlighted by a two-run single up the middle by John Brontsema piled on to a six-run eighth inning for the eventual 11-1 victory.
Garcia scored a win for the second straight weekend once again allowing just one earned run with three strikeouts and a lone walk. Mitchell Miller and Dylan Riddle cleaned up retiring six of the seven batters they faced.
Nat Hamby lasted six innings for the Aggies surrendering five runs on nine hits. Besides Cardinalli, UCD got offense from Ryan Hooper with a pair of hits and Spencer Henderson scored their only run.
Evan Cassolato had a superb day out of the 2-hole with three hits, three RBIs, and two runs. Each of the first five hitters had multi-hit days, and even Andrew Martinez who pinch-hit in the 5-hole came on with an RBI single.
Jonathan Munoz added two RBIs along with John Brontsema, and Brontsema and Kreuter scored twice each.
The win brings UCI back to .500 in conference at 6-6 even with Long Beach State. They're chasing Cal Poly and CSUF, tied atop with records of 7-2, Hawai'i, now at 7-5, and 5-4 teams in UC Riverside and UCSB.
The weekend extends to tomorrow with a quick turnaround and a 2:00 p.m. game in Anteater Ballpark against UNLV.
