IRVINE, Calif. --- Sophomore
Andre Pallante spun a marvelous performance over seven innings to get a 3-1 victory for the 'Eaters to open the series with Gonzaga Friday night in Anteater Ballpark.
Pallante cruised allowing just one hitter and a pair of walks through seven innings while racking up a career high 12 strikeouts. Pallante's 12 are the most since Andrew Morales did the same back on March 28, 2014.
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Pallante gave way to
Taylor Rashi after in the eighth after 99 pitches. Rashi entered with a 3-0 lead, and gave up a two-out extra-base hit into the alley scoring Gonzaga's (2-3) first run of the game, but Rashi's luck quickly changed as the 'Eater defense appealed to second base and Ernie Yake was called out after failing to touch second base.
Rashi returned to clean up in the ninth and leave the tying run on base to collect his first career save in the 3-1 victory.
All of UCI's (4-1) offense came in the first inning after a leadoff walk to
Jake Palmer. The Anteaters used the power of the hit-and-run to get some plays in motion, and would then score on consecutive plays from a
Nick Anderson sacrifice fly, a
Ryan Fitzpatrick RBI double to the track in left field off a leaping Jace VanDeBrake's glove, and a
Jacob Castro single to left field to sudden give UCI the 3-0 advantage an inning in.
The win propels Pallante to 2-0 early in the 2018 season, and the Anteaters to 4-1 heading into a Saturday, 2:00 p.m. clash with the Bulldogs
NOTES: This was the first 10-strikeout game for an Anteater pitcher since 2016 when Elliot Surrey K'd 10...the 'Eaters have struck out at least 10 opponents as a staff in four of the team's five games...UC Irvine was caught stealing on all three SB attempts Friday night including an 8th-inning failed squeeze attempt with one out and the bases loaded...
Konnor Zickefoose has now reached base in all five games this season
