IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball completed the season-opening sweep of Tulane with a tense 1-0 win Sunday afternoon in Anteater Ballpark.

RUN PRODUCTION
The 1-0 final score all came in the second inning. Myles Smith bounced an unassuming grounder over the third baseman's head that was scooped up in the hole by shortstop Gavin Schulz, but Smith was quick down the line for the infield single. Jo Oyama followed with a slow grounder up the middle. Second baseman Chase Englehard and Smith converged as the ball bounded to and through Englestad and into center field allowing Smith to scamper to third base.

Jacob Stinson didn't wait any time launching a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Smith for the first, only, and unearned run.

STAFF OUTING
Sunday was setup for multiple UC Irvine (3-0) pitchers as Riley Kelly was given the ball to start in his collegiate debut. Kelly was immaculate striking out the three hitters he went against. He was slated for just the one inning as Cooper Robinson took over in the second set to carry the load on Sunday.

Robinson dipped and darted through the innings allowing a hit or baserunner here and there, but stranding all Tulane (0-3) hitters including weaving through a bases loaded jam in the fourth inning. With one out, Robinson induced a slow chopper to third base allowing Jo Oyama to gather and nail the force out at home for the second out. Robinson would come right back and get a strikeout to finish the inning off and reacting with a roar as he joined his teammates.

Michael Stanford returned after two spotless innings Saturday night to pick up the save and add four more outs on Sunday. More arms returned from Friday's work starting with Cameron Wheeler for his three outs, and Jacob King silenced all four hitters he faced to lock up his second save of the weekend and wrap up the 1-0 win.

Head Coach Ben Orloff heaped praise on the entire unit following a second shutout on the weekend. "It was great to see Riley Kelly, and we all saw how good he is and can be. Cooper Robinson getting us four zeroes and into the sixth. There's no margin for error when you have one run, and we asked a lot of Stanford, Wheeler, and King this week. Back-to-back days for Stanford and he gets us four outs, Wheeler gets three, King gets four, and we asked a lot out of the bullpen guys and they were all great."

FINAL SCORE: UC IRVINE 1, TULANE 0
UCI completes the series sweep to start 2023 after just one sweep over the entire 2022 season. The 'Eaters also surpassed their shutout total from 2022 now with two in the first three games.

Robinson picked up the win, the second of his career, and added a career high five strikeouts. Relievers picking up holds were Stanford, a second on the weekend for Wheeler, and King's second save was the 14th of his career.

THE WEEK AHEAD
UCI heads on the road for the next four games starting Tuesday night at USC for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch. UCI heads to San Diego for the Tony Gwynn Legacy starting Friday afternoon on the campus of San Diego State to take on Washington State