SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. --- UC Irvine's pursuit of a Big West title took a big hit Friday night to the tune of a 9-1 loss to Cal Poly in Baggett Stadium.
The trouble started in the fourth inning as UCI (27-20, 7-9) had runners on the corners and one out. Mitchell Holland bounced a ball up the middle that shortstop Kyle Marinconz made a nice snagged, bounced back to tag second, and threw on to first. The ball and Holland met at first simultaneously, but Holland was called out completing the double play and keeping the game scoreless.
Cal Poly came up in the bottom half of the inning with the same situation. John Schuknecht grounded a ball to Parker Coss who threw on to Cole Kreuter at second, and his relay also met Schuknecht at the bag, but this time Schuknecht was called safe allowing the inning to continue.
After a walk to Michael Sanderson, freshman Alex McKenna stepped into an Elliot Surrey offering and belted it over the left field fence for the two-out, three-run homer giving Cal Poly (27-21, 8-8) the 3-0 lead after four.
UCI responded in the fifth with a run of their own as Adam Alcantara doubled to lead things off and made his way around ultimately from a Cameron Bishop hard infield single up the middle, however it was the only run the 'Eaters got off Spencer Howard and the Mustang staff.
Howard was thrown into the Friday start, the first of his collegiate career, after the entirety of Cal Poly's weekend rotation was replaced following events earlier in the week, but the freshman didn't miss a beat tossing six innings allowing just the one run and a walk while striking out six.
His teammates backed him up with a fourth run in the sixth, and put a nice cushion behind it with five runs in the seventh including a two-run double from McKenna to give him a five-RBI day.
Slater Lee came on for the three-inning save to lock up the win for Howard, 9-1.
The loss gives Cal Poly the edge in the Big West race now at 8-8 to UCI's 7-9 and the series continuing Saturday once again at 6:00 p.m.
Alcantara and Bishop each had solid days reaching base on walks along with their hits and coming together for the run. They even showed off in the field as well posting an outfield assist.
Seven other Anteaters had hits, but nothing came of it as Howard and Lee scattered them. The Mustangs got two-hit days from three players and a three-hit day from catcher Nick Meyer. Three Mustangs scored twice including Michael Sanderson who reached twice on walks.
The Mustangs return with another little-used starter Chris Colen, making his second start on the season, up against Alonzo Garcia as UCI looks to even things up and keep their fleeting postseason chances alive.
