IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball tripped up in its non-conference opener against Kansas State, 6-3, Friday night in Anteater Ballpark.
The visitors from the Big 12 set the tone early hitting early against Anteater starter
Nick Pinto. The lefty got to two outs in the inning, but a leadoff single and one-out walk helped bring home the first run in the second inning as nine-hittier Raphael Pelletier singled to center field for the 1-0 lead. Kansas State (25-15, 9-6) used the home run ball to build on that in the third inning as Nick Goodwin launched his 10th of the season for a two-run shot to make it 3-0, Wildcats.
K-State starter Owen Boerema sailed along allowing two hits and facing one over the minimum through four innings, but UCI (22-12, 7-8) caught a rally in the fifth. A two-out walk put a pair on for
Luke Spillane who slashed a triple the other way to bring Kansas State within one.
Caden Kendle followed with a full-swing infield single that he beat by a hair to score and tie things up at 3-3.
The Wildcats jumped back in front with another long ball off the bat of Kaelen Culpepper, again with two outs, to go back in front 4-3 in the seventh. K-State added two insurance runs in the ninth, but Tyson Neighbors took the reins for the Wildcats shutting the door for the final three innings and locking up a Friday night win for the visitors, 6-3.
The offense put up just six hits on the night, but made them count with the three in the fifth inning.
Luke Spillane had two to lead the way with two RBIs to keep his bat hot.
Chase Call and
Caden Kendle each had a hit to extend their on-base streaks to 31 and 22, respectively.
Will Bermudez took over the conference lead in hit by pitch with two on the night in addition to a walk and scoring one of the runs.
The pitching held their own despite coming out on the losing end.
Finnegan Wall made one costly mistake in his 1.1 innings as he drew his first loss of the season.
Andre Antone was the most effective out of the bullpen stranding a runner at second with just one out in the fourth and posting a shutout fifth along with three strikeouts to up his team-best total to 35.
Nick Pinto lasted just 3.1 innings as the starter accounting for three runs.
Nick Rincover was huge against his two batters picking off a runner that reached on an error and striking out the next man to record his ninth straight scoreless outing
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The sides are back at it Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. start and
Danny Suarez dueling with fellow righty German Fajardo on the mound. UCI is now an even 16-16 all-time against Big 12 schools with K-State holding an 4-2 edge in their series.
