IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine started its weekend series with UC Davis in the right direction recording a 10-2 victory Friday night in Anteater Ballpark.

Front Foot
UCI (32-16, 13-6) scored first behind the hustle of Christian Koss walking and going first to third on Brandon Lewis' hit up the middle that he legged out for a double setting up Adrian Damla whose grounder was enough for a first-inning 1-0 lead.

The Aggies (19-27, 9-13) tied things in the third with a walk and triple with two outs, but Lewis struck again clobbering a ball out to left center for a three-run homer and a 4-1 Anteater lead after three

Pallante Power
The junior dodged the run allowed in the third and continued to mow down Aggie hitters shutting them out for the next four innings allowing just two more hits to go with eight strikeouts. He was lifted with one out in the eighth after giving up a pair of hits, and after one came home on an infield single, Jordan Bocko shut the door getting Alejandro Lara to line to Adrian Damla with the bases loaded to make the catch and tag the runner at first out on the dive for the inning-ending double play.

Late Life
The 'Eaters in the prior inning found their bats once again after knocking out starter Brett Erwin. A wild pitch and Damla sac fly brought in two runs in the seventh, and two more came home on RBI singles from Mike Peabody and Griffin Mazur for the four-spot. UCI added two more in the eighth thanks to a two-run single from Peabody

Final Score: UC Irvine 10, UC Davis 2
Lewis' home run was his 14th of the season to tie for the program single-season high Cody Cipriano during the 2007 season. He drove in three runs to make him the 17th Anteater with 50 in a season. Peabody also drove home three as 1 of 5 Anteaters with multiple hits on the evening. Jake Palmer went above and beyond with four hits out of the leadoff spot for the team's third 4-hit game of the year and the second of his career. He also scored three times while Christian Koss, bumped up to the No. 2 slot, scored a career high four times after reaching twice on hits and twice on walks

Pitchers of Record
Pallante's win was his ninth and gives hime 25 for his career which makes him the eighth Anteater with 25 and ties him with Ray Humphries on the all-time list. He would also strikeout eight Aggies to retake the team lead now with 83 this season. Two of the strikeouts caught UC Davis hitters looking adding to his Big West-leading total of 28 this season. Bocko tossed 1.2 perfect innings adding two strikeouts to close the game. Brett Erwin allowing four from five hits and five walks in six innings to fall to 5-5. Aggie pitchers struck out just one hitter on the night.

Next Up
The focus turns to Saturday, May 18 for another 6:00 p.m. start and the final ESPN3 broadcast of the season with Sam Farber and Adam Kennedy on the call. Trenton Denholm will take the hill with an 8-3 record and 1.74 ERA fresh off being named a College Baseball Hall of Fame National Pitcher of the Year semifinalist. He will also likely go up against his older brother, Logan, who is a catcher for the Aggies and batted eighth Friday night