LOS ANGELES, Calif. --- UC Irvine and UCLA battled into extra innings Friday night in Jackie Robinson Stadium, and Adam Alcantara knocked the key hit with two outs and bases loaded to take the series-opener, 4-2.
A leadoff hit by pitch from John Brontsema got things going in the 10th. Keston Hiura would follow with his fifth hit of the game to add to the threat. A perfect sacrifice from Mitchell Holland moved a pair into scoring position, but Evan Cassolato's third strikeout of the game dialed things back a bit.
Grant Palmer worked a walk to load things up to for Adam Alcantara, and he would connect slashing a shot down the left field line plating two and putting the Anteaters (26-17, 7-8) up for good for the 4-2 victory.
The 'Eaters conceded the first run with some sub-par defense in the first dropping a grounder that could have been a double play and instead getting no outs from it. UCLA (21-22) would capitalize singling home an unearned run scoring for the seventh straight game in the first inning and lead 1-0.
Elliot Surrey settled in hushing the Bruin bats, and the offense backed him up in the third inning.
Matt Reitano was hit by a pitch, and then a single in the hole set the stage for Brontsema who bashed a double into right center up against the wall to score both and swing the lead UCI's way, 2-1.
Both starters found their command going well over 100 pitches and each pitching into the eighth. The Bruins found a way to tie things up with a hit by pitch, sac bunt, wild pitch, and a grounder that Brontsema fumbled with the infield in enough to score Daniel Rosica knotting things up in the seventh.
Ben Ritchey picked things up in the eighth relieving Surrey after a career-high 120 pitches. He hit the leadoff hitter in the ninth, and the Bruins moved him all the way to third before Ritchey clutched up and struck out the third out looking sending things to a tenth frame.
Ritchey's efforts earned him his second win on the year, and Calvin Faucher retired UCLA in order in 10th for his eighth save.
Surrey reach new heights in the Anteater record books on the evening as his 7.2 innings made him the 12th Anteater all-time to throw at least 300 innings. He punched out six Bruins, four looking, to surpass Jerry Maras and tie Chris Nicoll with 221 career strikeouts and tie for 11th all-time.
The offense revolved around the bat of Keston Hiura who collected his first five-hit game and the 22nd in program history; all singles for the sophomore who scored once. He is now eight for his last 10 raising the batting average back over .400 once again.
Brontsema proved vital as wel with the two initial RBIs and scoring the eventual game-winner. Alcantara's RBIs give him 21 on the season.
UCLA's starter kept them in it lasting eight innings relinquishing just the two earned runs walking one and striking out three in the process.
The matchup was just the third between UCI and UCLA to extend into extra innings of the 81 they've played. The Anteaters have now been successful in winning all three of those including snagging two of them in Jackie Robinson Stadium.
The series continues on Saturday, May 7 with a shift in location as UC Irvine plays host in Anteater Ballpark with a 2:00 p.m. start time between left-handed sophomore Cameron Bishop and right-handed freshman Grant Dyer.
________________________________________________________
For UC Irvine Athletics ticket information, please call (949) 824-5000 or e-mail athletics.tickets@uci.edu. For more information click here.
For information on how you can help support UC Irvine Athletics, please call (949) 824-6933 or e-mail aaf@uci.edu. For additional information, click here.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and by downloading the UCI Front Row app, available free to all Anteater fans through iTunes and Google Play, to view schedules, results, and up-to-the-minute news.
