LAFAYETTE, La. --- UC Irvine baseball couldn't quite close out a series victory Sunday at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field falling to the hosts, 5-3.

TRADING BLOWS
Like the two previous games in the series, Sunday's game saw both sides hold a lead at some point. The Ragin' Cajuns (2-1) made the first move in the bottom of the second. Connor Kimple led it off with a towering home run to take the quick, 1-0 lead. After some two-out maneuvering, Jon Brandon found some daylight with an RBI single putting UL up, 2-0.

UCI (1-2) made a quick response in the top half of the third. Taishi Nakawake and Woody Hadeen each reached with two outs allowing Nathan Church to hit one of them in and close it to 2-1. Thomas McCaffrey then ripped a double into left field plating two more to go up, 3-2.

SUNDAY STALEMATE
The sides then turned to their pitching and defense for shutout baseball in the next five innings. Anteater starter and freshman Danny Suarez making his collegiate debut rounded into form going four innings with six strikeouts. The bullpen backed him up with two scoreless innings by Gordon Ingebritson and Jake Spillane came on to pitch a spotless seventh inning.

Louisiana was up to the task with senior starter Jeff Wilson pitching into the fifth before being lifted. Tre LaFleur followed suit with 1.1 scoreless innings with just one walk before giving way to Bo Bonds who did the rest retiring all nine hitters he faced.

THE COMEBACK
The offenses were stagnant against the formidable bullpens until the eighth inning when the Cajuns awoke. Closer Jacob King was on again looking for his second save of the weekend, but promptly gave up a single and walk to the top two hitters in the Louisiana order. Later with one out and the bases loaded, Carson Roccaforte played the hero lacing a single to right field for two runs and the lead at 4-3.

FINAL SCORE: LOUISIANA 5, #20 UC IRVINE 3
The Anteaters couldn't find an answer in their final frame unable to put anyone on all afternoon against Bonds. The Cajuns added an insurance run in that eighth inning on a CJ Willis single to win 5-3.

The loss dropped the 'Eaters to 1-2 losing the opening series for the second time in coach Orloff's four seasons.

King suffered the loss, something he did just once last year as well. UCI's offense was limited to that third-inning outburst where they got four of their five hits on the game. McCaffrey had his two RBIs along with one for Church. Woody Hadeen scored a run and stole a base on the afternoon.

UCI heads back home where it will close out February for the next four games. Tuesday night is the home opener hosting San Diego State for a 6:00 p.m. start time. The weekend will see UCI welcome in Grand Canyon for three games starting Friday night at 6:00 p.m.