LONG BEACH, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball dropped the series opener at Blair Field Friday night falling, 6-2, to the host Dirtbags.

ONE-SIDED AFFAIR
The early innings were tilted toward the host Long Beach State (16-24, 6-10). The Dirtbags loaded the bases in the first and second inning and put two in scoring position in the third totaling seven hits. They could only muster two runs on a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.

The Anteater offense started slow earning three walks before their first hit from Nathan Church in the third inning. The first five outs of the game came via strikeout as were eight of the first nine hitters.

MAKING A MOVE
UCI (23-16, 9-7) got the wheels turning in the fourth with two outs from a Caden Kendle single. A walk and error loaded the bases for the Anteaters who were gifted the tying runs from a walk and hit by pitch with the bases loaded to Ben FItzgerald and Woody Hadeen for a 2-2 game. A pitching change help stop the Anteater rally on a groundout through three-and-a-half innings.

FINAL SCORE: LONG BEACH STATE 6, UC IRVINE 2
LBSU took the lead back with a pair of doubles in the fifth inning and added insurance runs in the form of a two-run home run the sixth and solo home run in the seventh.

Pinto managed to scatter nine hits well, but drew the loss from three runs in 4.2 innings.

The offense's two-hit output is the lowest since 2018 in a loss to UC Riverside. The Anteaters still drew eight walks, but struck out 15 times. Caden Kendle had the most productive day at the plate walking twice with one of the two hits.

UCI begins the series with a loss, but continues it Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. first pitch between Michael Frias and Marques Johnson.