IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine fell victim to some unfortunate plays leading to eight CSUN runs Friday night in Anteater Ballpark to even the final series of the year in an 8-2 loss.
UCI (30-25, 10-13) got the scoring started with a pair of two-out singles that brought home Evan Cassolato who led things off with a walk giving UCI the 1-0 lead after one.
Alonzo Garcia rolled through the first three innings until CSUN (33-21, 11-12) broke through with a run on a Brandon Berry blooper tying things at 1-1 after four.
The Matadors took their first lead after Justin Toerner lined a two-out ball into the gap. Grant Palmer was there and dove to make the play, but it fell in scoring two. Toerner would come around on a squeaker through the infield putting CSUN ahead, 4-1.
The 'Eaters kept battling down just three until the whole game turned on the events of the seventh inning.
Bobby Schuman led the inning off with one of his four walks in the game bringing Fred Smith to the dish. He laid down a fine bunt that Matt Reitano pounced on. His throw was in time, but there was no one to cover as Cole Kreuter was impeded on his way to the bag by the umpire allowing the ball to bound down the line bringing in a fifth run and putting Smith on second base.
After checking on Kreuter and the umpire, play resumed, and Daniel Alvarez worked it to two outs with a runner on third. Yusuke Akitoshi returned with another of his RBI singles, and after a walk, Nolan Bumstead connected for a double in the alley and scored the third and fourth runs of the inning before he was caught rounding second a little too far.
The damage was done as CSUN stretched its lead to seven. Keston Hiura got a run back for the 'Eaters with an seventh-inning, RBI single, but the offense was held in check falling 8-2 and evening the series.
Matador starter Angel Rodriguez performed well after a rough start lasting into the eighth allowing the two runs on five hits along with three walks and five strikeouts. Andrew Weston closed down the final two innings for CSUN.
Bumstead, Akitoshi, and Toerner each had two-RBI nights while Schuman and scored twice to match Toerner.
Alonzo Garcia lasted just 4.2 innings allowing four runs on four hits while striking out four in the process. Alvarez relieved him for 2.1 innings giving up the remaining four runs, all unearned.
Evan Cassolato scored both Anteater runs on the night with Hiura and Adam Alcantara driving him in. Alcantara joined Jonathan Munoz with multi-hit efforts, while Alcantara's night gave him a 15-game hit streak, only the 13th hit streak to reach 15 games in program history. He also has a 16-game on-base streak intact.
The season's finale will determine the winner of the series with a talented left-hander battle lined up between UCI's Cameron Bishop and CSUN's Kenny Rosenberg starting at 2:00 p.m.
Fans should be wary of a graduation ceremony in the morning that will impact the Mesa Parking Structure. The ceremony ends at 11:30 a.m. with the structure filing out shortly thereafter, so any fans showing up before 12:30 p.m. may experience some traffic parking and could even be redirected to another structure on campus.
The pregame festivities for the celebration of the Anteater seniors will not get underway until 1:40 p.m. as our six graduating 'Eaters will be recognized in a 10-minute ceremony.
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