RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- UCI salvaged the weekend and doubleheader by taking home a 14-12 win Sunday evening at Riverside Sports Complex outlasting the host UC Riverside.

OMINOUS START
After a tough loss earlier in the day, the Anteaters (5-4) struggled out of the gate in game two allowing UC Riverside (2-1) on the board first. A bases-clearing double by Nathan Webb gave the Highlanders the early 3-0 lead after one inning.

STRIKING BACK
The Anteater bats woke up from that against a familiar face on the mound for UC Riverside. Jake Lachemann, who spent his freshman season at UC Irvine, cruised through the first inning, but things fell apart in the second. He walked the first three batters of the inning, and then hit the next three batters to allow all three walks to score and tie the game, 3-3.

Lachemann was lifted for Trevor Bateson, but the Anteater bats forged on getting a two-run single from Adrian Damla and a two-run triple from Justin Torres. Taishi Nakawake singled home the eighth run in the inning to put UCI up, 8-3.

FAR FROM OVER
UC Riverside quickly made it a game in their half of the second inning. A hit by pitch and two singles loaded up the bases against Nick Pinto. An infield single to third baseman Jake Cosgrove brought home a run, but his wild throw to first moved everyone up and scored a second run. A double from Dylan Orick plated two more runs and chased Pinto from the game which was suddenly just 8-7 in UCI's favor.

MILD RELIEF
The best pitching came from UCI's Josh Ibarra and UCR's Tucker Juline. After giving up the game-winning hit the night before, Ibarra made the most of his 3.1 innings Sunday night shutting out the Highlanders on just three hits and striking out a career high six batters. Juline entered the game down 10-7 and promptly gave up a run on a Dillon Tatum single, but settled in and kept the Highlanders within striking distance scattering five hits and the one run in four innings of work.

DOWN THE STRETCH
The game fluctuated in the final four innings as Ibarra and Juline were lifted. UC Riverside got a run in their half of the sixth and two more in the seventh to close the gap to one run. The 'Eaters got timely insurance in the eighth with three runs from a Nathan Church double and Adrian Damla single. The Highlanders closed the gap one last time in the bottom of the eighth coming to within 14-12 against Jacob King, but King would come back to post the only 1-2-3 inning for the Anteaters in the ninth to secure the victory.

FINAL: UC IRVINE 14, UC RIVERSIDE 12
The 3-hour, 48-minute game featured 30 hits and nearly 400 pitches. It's the second-most runs in a UCI baseball game since 2014. The other high-scoring affair also came at Riverside in 2019 when UCI pummeled the Highlanders 22-7 in the season finale.

The win went to Josh Ibarra, now 1-1. Among the relievers was Anteater Michael Stanford making his Division I debut. He surrended two runs in his one inning, but held the lead while striking out two. The two starters combined to record 2.2 innings pitched allowing 13 runs on seven hits with six walks and four hit batsmen.

The offense sprouted from the heart of the order thanks to two hits, three runs, and four RBI from Nathan Church. Adrian Damla had three hits and three RBI while Luke Spillane followed him with three hits, two of which doubles, and an RBI. All nine Anteater starters had a hit, and eight different starters scored a run and drove in a run. Jake Palmer double and reached three other times, scoring twice and driving in a run. Woody Hadeen scored three times and stole a base. He and Nakawake each had a bunt single as well. Dillon Tatum got his first career hit and RBI in the effort. Justin Torres drove in two and Jake Cosgrove scored twice.

UCR's offense was just as potent led by Travis Bohall who had five hits, scored three times, and had an RBI. Dylan Orick and Nathan Webb each had two hits and three RBI.