IRVINE, Calif. --- Senior Elliot Surrey spun a masterful Thursday night performance in Anteater Ballpark striking out his 10th batter to finish off a complete game three-hitter to down CSUN, 4-1, in the series-opener.
The left-hander K'd a Matador in every inning except the second and punched out multiples in the third and fifth for his second career 10-strikeout game to match a career high. Surrey was whizzing along entering the ninth inning with 90 pitches thrown before giving up a leadoff double that would come home on a groundout, and then the tying run came to the plate after a single and his first walk allowed.
The complete game was his fifth career, second that didn't result in the shutout. The win was No. 19 as he matches Evan Brock and Ken Whitworth all-time, 16th-most, in start No. 49 tying him with Crosby Slaught and Daniel Bibona for fifth-most. He also jumped to seventh all-time in innings pitched, 320.1, and strikeouts, 239.
The offense came through with some timely support. Adam Alcantara extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a lined shot off the left field fence. Mitchell Holland motored around from first to slide under the tag and give UCI (30-24, 10-12) the 1-0 lead in the fourth.
The 'Eaters got some more insurance after Matt Reitano went up to slice a hit-and-run triple down the right field line scoring pinch-runner Wyatt Castro. Reitano himself came around on a squeeze play from Evan Cassolato putting UCI up 3-0 through five.
Reitano was at it again in the eighth with a two-out single through the right side to score Castro again to build the lead to four. CSUN inched closer with a comebacker that plated a run in the ninth, but were short a few finally falling 4-1.
Reitano finished a homer shy of the cycle while driving in two runs. Castro scored twice along with stealing a base.
Prior to the ninth inning, only one Matador runner had reached second after Cole Kreuter dropped a popup in short right field to open the inning. Surrey stranded him on second and proceeded to retire the next 12 hitters.
Matador leadoff man Fred Smith had the only semblance of offense against Surrey with a single, double, and run scored on the night. Their starter, Joe Ryan, picked up the loss allowing three earned runs over five innings.
The win secures UCI's 13th straight 30-win season, and inches it closer to a .500 Big West campaign, now at 10-12. Head Coach Mike Gillespie also captured win No. 1,100 of his illustrious career.
The series continues with another night contest, Friday, May 27, as dueling righties Alonzo Garcia and Angel Rodriguez kick things off at Cicerone Field at 6:30 p.m.
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