Anteaters Fall Late, 9-5, to Relinquish the Series to No. 20 UCSB
May 22, 2016 | Baseball
IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine gave up eight runs in the final two innings in what was a momentous turnaround resulting in a 9-5 loss to No. 20 UC Santa Barbara Sunday night in Anteater Ballpark.
UCI (29-24, 9-12) started off quickly with five runs in the first two innings helped along by some Gaucho miscues. Evan Cassolato spurred the charge with a leadoff single and came around on a passed ball. Adam Alcantara and Cole Kreuter brought home two more for the three-run lead after one.
Keston Hiura and Mitchell Holland each hit home a run in the second to stretch the lead to 5-0 thanks to a throwing error on a fielder's choice.
The middle innings belonged to the pitchers as Joe Record settled in and joined Cameron Bishop to shut down the offenses through the seventh inning.
Bishop rolled through striking out 11 batters for a career high. After allowing a pair of hits to lead off the seventh giving way to Ben Ritchey. After another single loaded the bases, Austin Bush launched a grand slam out to center field to tie this up, 5-5.
Calvin Faucher came on in the ninth inning starting things with a pair of strikeouts. A single through the right side brought up Clay Fisher. His sharp grounder at Kreuter bounded off of him and into right field to keep UCSB (35-16-1, 12-9) afloat. Faucher would eventually walking home the go-ahead run bringing Bush back up with the bases loaded. He would proceed to launch another ball to the left center gap, keeping it in the yard, but bringing home three more runs to bust things open and complete the comeback with a 9-5 victory.
Faucher was credited with the loss, his first, despite all four runs being unearned. Both starters were saddled with a no-decision while Gaucho closer Kyle Nelson earned the win a night after allowing the walkoff hit for the loss.
Bush finished with seven RBIs as part of his three-hit night. Four Gauchos scored twice on the evening including JJ Muno who had a pair of singles and was hit by a pitch.
Alcantara was one of three 'Eaters with two-hit nights which included a double, RBI, and stolen base. Brontsema scored twice while the RBIs were spread out among four hitters.
The losses puts the 'Eaters at 29-24 overall and 9-12 in the Big West, squarely in eighth place. The Gauchos took home a series at Irvine for the first time since 1986.
UCI closes out the regular season with a home series beginning Thursday, May 26 with a 6:30 p.m. start on ESPN3 against CSUN.
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