RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball fell, 6-5, Saturday night in the series opener at Riverside Sports Complex as UC Riverside took advantage of errors to squeak out a walk-off victory.

UC RIVERSIDE'S THIRD INNING
Both sides flew through the opening frames with little offense. UC Riverside (1-0) got on the board first with a two-out rally started by a Travis Bohall single. He came around to score after stealing second and being driven in on Cole Pofek's single. The inning looked to end on a dropped third strike, but Jacob Castro's errant throw allow both baserunners to come home. The Highlanders tacked on a third unearned run on another single from Nathan Webb to complete the third inning ahead, 4-0.

THE ANTEATERS RESPOND
UC Irvine (4-3) quickly answered in the next half inning with a double and two hit batsmen to load the bases with one out. Luke Spillane chopped an infield single to score the first run. Jacob Castro atoned for his error by bringing in two runs on a double of his own to cut the deficit to 4-3. After another hit by pitch loaded the bases, the Highlanders allowed a passed ball to tie the game, and then Taishi Nakawake's groundout allowed the fifth run to come home and flip a four-run hole into a 5-4 lead for UCI heading into the bottom of the fourth.

MORE UNEARNED RUNS
The Highlanders looked to tie after Nathan Webb led off the sixth inning with a double. A ground ball by Taylor Juline was knocked down by Woody Hadeen at second base, but his wild throw allowed another run to come home and tie things at 5-5. After a sacrifice bunt put a runner on third with just one out, the 'Eaters went to the bullpen and Michael Frias to keep things level which he did inducing a foulout and groundout.

THE DECISIVE BLOW
The Highlanders were gifted a baserunner to start the ninth as Jacob King issued the only walk from either pitching staff in the game to Anthony Mata. After a sacrifice bunt, King was lifted for Josh Ibarra whose first pitch was flipped into right field by his former junior college teammate Ely Stuart to end the game on a walkoff win for UC Riverside, 6-5.

FINAL: UC RIVERSIDE 6, UC IRVINE 5
For the Highlanders, Saturday was their season opener under interim head coach Justin Johnson for his first collegiate head coaching victory. The loss was the third for UC Irvine, second via a walkoff, and the squad has yet to win a game away from home.

Trenton Denholm had his best outing of 2021 going 5.1 innings allowing five runs, but just one was earned. He also struck out eight Highlanders. Michael Frias continued his dominant bullpen work allowing a single baserunners on a hit by pitch that he later picked off and adding two strikeouts to his 2.2 innings of work. Jacob King took the loss, now 1-1.

The offensive bright spot was Luke Spillane who had two hits, a run, an RBI, and a stolen base. Castro added two RBIs, and Nakawake had the fourth while three other 'Eaters scored a run. Woody Hadeen made his first collegiate start batting second and playing second base.

The 10 hits by UCR was the most allowed by Anteater pitching in 2021. Six different Highlanders scored runs and three had two-hit games.