IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine and Utah Valley squared off for a 3:00 p.m. start to their weekend series getting in ahead of the weather, and after trailing early, the 'Eaters climbed back to a tie before
Jake Palmer's game-winning single in the eighth to take the 4-2 win Friday afternoon in Anteater Ballpark.
The game was tied, 2-2, entering the eighth inning, and after two quick outs to the UCI (10-6) frame against reliever Jake Carr,
Cole Kreuter,
Adrian Damla, and
Christian Koss all drew walks to load the bases for Palmer. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Palmer slid a shot up the middle for a base hit scoring two to give UCI its first lead of the game at 4-2.
After
Taylor Rashi's two-walk, two-strikeout top of the eighth, he gave way to
Jordan Bocko in the ninth who nailed down the win and his third save of the season racking up two of UCI's 13 strikeouts.
Utah Valley (5-11) surprised the Anteaters out of the gate against
Andre Pallante who entered the game with a 0.33 ERA. The first three Wolverine hitters recorded hits to quickly put them up 1-0 with nobody out. Pallante would find his groove striking out the next three hitters.
UVU's Pacen Hayes launched a home run to center field in the fourth inning to add to the Wolverines' lead at 2-0. UCI countered in the bottom half thanks to a two-out double from
Adrian Damla cutting the deficit back to 2-1.
Palmer finished the game with three hits and three of the 'Eaters' four RBI.
Cole Kreuter scored twice while
Adrian Damla reached three times from a double and two walks, and also scored and drove in a run.
Ryan Fitzpatrick and
Brendan Brooks each reached base extending streaks of 24 and 15 games in a row, respectively.
Trevor Peterson had Utah Valley's only two-hit day. Starter Jake Mayer pitched lights out for the Wolverines striking out 10 and scattering eight hits and two walks over seven innings. Pallante kept pace for the 'Eaters with eight strikeouts in six innings with each allowed two earned runs and not factoring in the decision. Carr fell to 1-1 surrendering two runs in 0.2 innings.
Taylor Rashi improved to 3-0 with his scoreless inning.
The squads return to the field Saturday, March 17 for a 2:00 p.m. start.
