NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- UC Irvine broke open a tight game with six runs in the eighth inning capped off by a grand slam to leap into first place in the Big West sweeping CSUN, 8-4, Sunday afternoon at Matador Field.

UC Irvine (24-14, 8-4) held a slim 2-1 lead entering the eighth inning as Matt Reitano started the inning reaching on an error. Ryan Johnston would sacrifice him on to second, the team's fourth successful sacrifice on the day, making way for Brendan Brooks to chop a single through the middle to plate Reitano and extend the lead to 3-1. A Ryan Fitzpatrick ground-rule double and Nick Anderson intentional walk would load the bases for Konnor Zickefoose. The sophomre would turn around a 3-0 pitch for an RBI single keeping the bases loaded for Cole Kreuter still with one out in the inning. Kreuter unloaded a towering fly to center field that carried up and out for a grand slam putting UCI up 8-1.

CSUN (17-22, 5-7) chipped away with a run in the eighth finally solving Sean Sparling and two in the ninth on an Albee Weiss home run closing the gap to 8-4 before Dylan Riddle sealed the 8-4 victory with a strikeout.

The win puts the 'Eaters in sole possession of first place at 8-4 heading into a head-on collision next weekend at Anteater Ballpark with the second place and preseason favorite Cal State Fullerton.

Kreuter's grand slam is his second of the season becoming just the third Anteater in program history to accomplish that and only the fifth with as many as two in a career. It proved to be his only hit of the game coming with four RBI while Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brendan Brooks, and Konnor Zickefoose each had a pair of hits, an RBI, and a run scored on the afternoon.

The 'Eaters struggled early against Matador starter Matt Acosta who didn't allow a baserunner until the fourth inning, and worked 5.2 two-hit innings, but both hits were RBI singles from Fitzpatrick and Nick Anderson. The 'Eaters trailed after a first-inning RBI single from Weiss before the 'Eaters climbed back in with runs in the fourth and sixth.

All the while, Trenton Denholm held the Matadors back allowing one run over five innings pitching well enough to earn the win, his third straight start earning the win, even though he walked three batters, hit three with pitches, and allowed five hits. Denholm's defense stood tall with noteworthy plays by Cole Kreuter including a spectacular double play-turn with Christian Koss, and Denholm starting a double play of his own in the first.

The win puts UCI at 4-0 on the week for the first time in 2018 putting together its longest win streak of the season at five. The series is the first sweep of any kind involving the Anteaters on the season, and just the third in 12 conference series this year.

The Anteaters also improved to 13-7 away from home on the season as it returns home Tuesday for the first of eight straight home contests. The 'Eaters host San Diego on Tuesday, Apr. 24, for a 6:30 p.m. start followed by Cal State Fullerton coming in for the weekend series.