NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball fell short in Sunday's finale losing the series finale, 9-7, and the series at Matador Field against CSUN.
A sacrifice fly in the first inning gave UCI (32-16, 13-11) the early lead once again, 1-0. CSUN (29-16, 15-9)Â responded with a pair of runs in the second inning helped by an error and a pair of wild pitches to make it 2-1, CSUN. Another Anteater sac fly would tie things back up in the third inning, 2-2.
Chase Call delivered the first big blow in the fourth inning homering deep to left field for UC Irvine's second lead of the afternoon, 4-2.
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CSUN marched right back three runs in their fourth inning knocking Anteater starter
Nick Pinto from the game and taking their second lead of the game, 5-4.
UCI put up its third sacrifice fly of the afternoon to tie the game back up at 5-5 in the fifth. The Anteater defense would break down in the bottom of the inning allowing four runs, three unearned, with help from two UCI errors to take the largest lead of the afternoon, 9-5.
UCI found a way to cut into the lead with an infield single to start the sixth followed by four walks and a pair of fielder's choices to close it to 9-7. The bullpens shut things down for either side down the final three innings.
Jacob King retired six of his seven hitters including five strikeouts, but the combo of Xavier Martinez and Joshua Romero held the Anteaters back with help from a home run robbery in the ninth of
Thomas McCaffrey to seal the 9-7 defeat.
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The offense managed just five hits on the day to score their seven runs.
Chase Call hit his 10th home run of the year with two hits and two RBIs.
Anthony Martinez joined him with a two-RBI day and
Caden Kendle had the other two-hit day.
Auggie Gutierrez had four walks in four plate appearances scoring once.
The pitching fell victim to unfortunate defensive errors on the day making four of the nine runs allowed unearned.
Jacob King was the most effective collect five of six outs via striking, but it was too little too late.
"We didn't play good enough. We make three errors and give people extra opportunities, it's hard to overcome that."
Head Coach
Ben Orloff and his Anteaters have a chance to respond with a game tomorrow night at Anteater Ballpark looking to improve on an 8-0 mark against Pac-12 opponents facing Arizona at 6:00 p.m.
