LOS ANGELES, Calif. --- UC Irvine was befuddled for a second day in a row by UCLA's starter en route to a 5-1 defeat letting go of another series in which it won the opener Sunday afternoon in Jackie Robinson Stadium.
UCI (26-19, 7-8) was held hitless for 6.1 innings Sunday before a rocket grounder up the middle from Keston Hiura put them on the map already trailing 2-0.
An Adam Alcatara double in the eighth was stranded before UCI clumpbed together three ninth-inning hits to push across a run and avert their first shutout since April of 2015, a string of 69 games.
The UCLA (23-22) bats managed enough with an unearned run in the first and a two-out rally to plate one in the fourth to stake starter Kyle Molnar tosome stable run support. The freshman left after 110 pitches over 7.2 innings issuing just one walk alongside nine strikeouts to score his fifth win.
The Bruins added some insurance in the eighth off Anteater reliever Ben Ritchey with a two-out, twoprun home run from Sean Bouchard and a fifth run off a stolen base and two-base error after the throw hit the runner and careened into left field eventually accounting fo the 5-1 final.
UCI starter Alonzo Garcia went four innings alltwo runs, one unearned, for the most part scattering five hits. Outside of Ritchey, four relievers shut down the Bruin bats over 2.2 innings to keep the Anteaters within striking distance.
Bouchard's blast was complimented by a 2-for-3 day from Kort Peterson as he scored twice and drove a run in. leadoff hitter Brett Stephens had a pair of hits while catcher Daniel Rosica also drove home a run.
Mitchell Holland collected the lone RBI scoring Cole Kreuter who doubled in the ninth. Hiura had two singles and even reached second base on a wild, bounding dropped third strike.
The setback put the 'Eaters at 26-19, but they remain in the mix in the conference with a lot of shuffling from results despite a five-game deficit to Big West leader Cal State Fullerton.
UCI remains on the non-conference road for one more game as it will welcome USD into Anteater Ballpark Tuesday night for a 6:30 p.m. start before getting back into Big West action with a trip to Cal Poly.
