IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine could not complete the series sweep Sunday afternoon in Anteater Ballpark falling behind early once again en route to a 10-5 loss to Oregon.
The Ducks (22-23, 8-13) got started early again with a first-inning run on a perfectly-executed hit-and-run. The Anteaters countered in the bottom half tying things up on a
Cole Kreuter RBI single.
The Ducks pounced once again in the second inning this time with help from the Anteater (27-19, 8-7) defense. A couple of grounders brought home a pair of Oregon runs, first on a fielder's choice and second on an error right through
Parker Coss' glove. A fly ball to
Mikey Filia in center field floated a little too far and off his glove plating two more runs giving Oregon four runs in the inning without a single hit - 2 hit by pitches, a walk, a fielder's choice, and two errors were the culprits making it a 5-1 Oregon lead.
UC Irvine chipped away at the deficit with home runs from
Nick Anderson and
Ryan Fitzpatrick, and
Konnor Zickefoose looped a single into left field in the seventh to cut the deficit to 6-5, but UCI stranded a pair of runners on, five in all in the final three innings, part of its 14 runners left on on the day, and were unable to find the tying and go-ahead runs.
The Ducks made sure of their lead this game adding three runs in the eighth sparked by a two-run Taylor Travess double, and then one fod good measure in the ninth on Spencer Steer's third home run of the series to put the game to bed, 10-5.
The starters factored in the decision on Sunday with each going five innings. Kolby Somers walked one and struck out three allowing three runs.
Trenton Denholm allowed six runs in total, four earned, while walking one and allowing five hits to drop his fifth decision on the season.
Steer paced the UO offense going 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI finishing with nine on the series. Travess drove in three and Ryne Nelson had two without a hit to go with his two scoreless innings on the mound to finish the game.
Anderson led UCI with two RBIs, both from the home run, while
Christian Koss went 3-for-5 with a run scored.
UC Irvine does come away with a series win sitting at 27-19 on the season before it returns to Big West action next week. UCI will play at Cal Poly, May 11-13, following a week without a midweek contest.
