IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball played another wild one with Oregon State having the last laugh Saturday at Anteater Ballpark on
Dillon Tatum's walk-off home run to even the series on an 11-9 victory.
HEAVY HITTERS
The bats stole the show early in what looked like it would be a day dominated by pitching from
Nick Pinto and Cooper Hjerpe. The Beavers (26-11, 10-5) jumped out in front with a pair of two-out singles in the first.
The Anteaters (23-12, 16-4) responded with a flurry in their half of the first. With the bases loaded and two outs,
Jacob Castro worked a patient walk to force home the first run.
Taishi Nakawake busted a single up the middle to flip the lead to UCI scoring two, 3-2. Another walk would spell the end of things for starter Hjerpe, but the relief did not follow as a
Woody Hadeen infield single and a two-run knock up the middle by
Jake Palmer pushed the lead to 6-2 after the first.
The runs continued to roll in as each team pounded a solo home run, UCI's by
Dillon Tatum in the second, and Garrett Forrester started the third with one. The Beavers brought home a second run in the third, and UCI's answer was a squeeze play by
Jake Palmer in their half, and
Nathan Church would add his nation-leading seventh triple with two outs for a scoreboard blitz of 9-4 Anteaters after three innings.
LONG WAY TO GO
The fourth inning appeared and momentum slowly swung back toward the Beavers. Reliever Will Frisch entered as the third pitcher of the day and he went to work. The 'Eaters mustered just one hit against him in 3.2 innings and a walk that was erased on a double play.
All the while, Oregon State was mounting a comeback starting with a harmless flyball by Joe Casey that left the yard in the fifth. Two more runs came home in the sixth on a balk and RBI double, and then in the eighth, a misplayed foul ball and catcher's interference call extended the frame to allow two unearned runs to score and tie things at 9-9.
The Anteater bullpen pitched very well inspite of the result.
Josh Ibarra was called upon to relieve
Nick Pinto in the third inning, and worked wonders over three innings slowing the OSU charge before he was lifted with an apparent injury mid-batter.
Peter Van Loon was then called upon in his first career relief appearance and put up 2.2 tough innings allowing just the two unearned runs along the way.
THE NINTH INNING
Once again, the drama came to a head in the ninth tied 9-9 heading into it. The Beavers were quickly to two outs before a pair of walks and an infield single loaded the bases against
Tanner Brooks.
Andre Antone was called upon in a big spot against Ryan Ober, and reached back to catch him looking at strike three and quash the threat.
The bottom of the frame was quickly two outs for the Anteaters as well against Chase Watkins, but
Luke Spillane was able to leg out an infield single and keep the rally alive.
Dillon Tatum stepped up already with one home run on the day, and parked a 1-0 pitch deep down the line wrapping it over and around the foul pole. The umpires came together to discuss whether it truly was fair or foul, and signaled home run to end the game on a walk-off for the 'Eaters.
FINAL SCORE: UC IRVINE 11, OREGON STATE 9
Tatum's two home runs give him six in as many games, and he's now had consecutive Saturdays with his first two 2-HR games. The walk-off is the second of the season for the 'Eaters joining the opening-day, pinch-hit single by
Josh Sheck that won it for UCI vs. Washington.
Tatum was joined by
Jake Palmer each having three-RBI days. Palmer entered the game with two RBIs on the season. Hadeen, Church, and Tatum each had a pair of hits of the 11 UCI produced.
Taishi Nakawake scored twice and drove in two on the day.
Oregon State's offense was led by three-hit days from Garret Forrester and Joe Casey whom each homered and scored twice. Jacob Melton scored twice along with two hits and an RBI, Ryan Ober added a pair of hits scoring and driving in a run himself, and Micah McDowell scored twice coming off the bench as a pinch-runner.
The pitching was suspect all around as neither starter earned a decision or made it through three innings. Antone scored his first career win facing just the one hitter. Watkins took his second loss of the year while striking out three in 1.2 innings.
Thoughts from Head Coach Ben Orloff and Dillon Tatum
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SERIES-DECIDER
The weekend series hangs on Sunday's result as
Michael Frias and Jake Pfennigs go to the mound looking to score a series win. First pitch on ESPN3 comes down at 1:00 p.m.
