IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball took control of their 2023 opener dropping Tulane Friday night, 3-0, at Anteater Ballpark.
VALIANT VIZCAINO
The top of the first brought drama and a key moment in the game as second-year Anteater
David Vizcaino got out of a jam. After hitting the leadoff hitter on the very first pitch, the Green Wave (0-1) put the pressure on with runners on the corners and one out after an error by UCI (1-0) first baseman
Tony Martinez. Vizcaino reached back for a big strikeout of cleanup hitter Teo Banks and induced a groundout to emerge unscathed.
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Vizcaino settled in to set down nine straight outs picking up five strikeouts including his final out of the night in the sixth leaving two on base.
Cameron Wheeler came on to get another strikeout to keep the slim 1-0 lead.
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TRIPLE CITY
The offense did just enough on Friday night starting with key plays in the third and sixth innings.
Will Bermudez playing in his first game as an Anteater led off the third inning with a triple the other way. The next hitter,
Caden Kendle, smacked a single off the pitcher into right field to plate the opening run and a 1-0 lead. UCI was only good for one in the inning after Kendle was picked off before
Dub Gleed could double him home, and the game remained a one-run contest.
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After averting trouble in the top of the sixth, UCI got to work in the bottom half.
Myles Smith was the catalyst beating out an infield single to start the frame.
"We just got out of that big inning. I hit the ball and got down the line. That was the whole start of the inning and I was just pumped because I knew how big it was for me to lead off the inning and be that first guy and it led to good things."
Later in the inning, he came all the way around from first on a triple the other way by
Jo Oyama to double the team's lead. Oyama slid in safely beating a throw home on
Abraham Garcia-Pacheco's shallow fly for a two-run inning and 3-0 lead.
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FINAL SCORE: UC IRVINE 3, TULANE 0
The final three innings were dominated by the Anteater bullpen. Tulane put a man on base in each of the final innings, but were halted before any semblance of a rally,
Tanner Brooks and
Jacob King put a particular stop to things in the eighth and ninth innings as each struck out the side around allowing a baserunner to complete the shutout.
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The 'Eaters managed just one shutout over the entirety of the 2022 season. Vizcaino improves to 6-0 in his career spanning 11 career games and seven starts. Wheeler and Brooks each locked down holds, and
Jacob King picked up his 13th career save as he climbs up the Anteater record books alongside Taylor Rashi.
Smith and the offense were energized by the pitching performance. "They were electric and even though we've got guys down right now, those guys really stepped it up. David was lights out for 5.2, Cam came in in a big situation and got out of it, we're super pumped for these guys and it was super electric."
UCI's offensive night was led by
Jo Oyama with two hits including a triple, an RBI, and a run scored in his Division I debut.
Myles Smith had a spotless game reaching base all four times with two hits, two walks, and scoring a run.
"We look forward to this game the most. It's the first game back, we're all excited. To be home and get the win, it's great of all of us. We're so pumped and can't wait to get back out here tomorrow."
The 'Eaters take the season opener for a sixth straight season and improve to a perfect 5-0 under head coach
Ben Orloff.
