NEW ORLEANS, La. --- UC Irvine baseball did just enough to take a pivotal Friday night victory at Tulane's Greer Field at Turchin Stadium, 5-4.

• The home team struck first with a loud run as five-hitter Connor Rasmussen homered to leadoff the second inning and put Tulane up, 1-0
• All the Anteater offense came in the fourth inning as its patience helped bounce starter Jake Saum from the game by loaded the bases on a hit by pitch and two walks. Reliever Carter Benbrook promptly hit his first batter, Jo Oyama, with a pitch to tie the game, 1-1. Luke Spillane singled home the go-ahead run, and then UCI tacked up three more thanks to a successful Chase Call squeeze and Will Bermudez clubbing a two-run single for a 5-run frame
• Nick Pinto stepped up again with five solid innings allowing the one run and striking out four as he improved to 2-0 on the season for win No. 19 of his career while starting his 48th career game as he continues to lead active players in college baseball
• The bullpen wasn't as sharp as the opening series, but made big pitches. David Utagawa picked up Ryder Brooks allowing just one inherited unearned run to score and got the 'Eaters through the sixth and seventh.
• Ricky Tibbett came on to pick up Max Martin despite allowing two inherited runners to score ultimately escaping the eighth and closing things out in the ninth with a runner on base his first save as an Anteater.
• UCI improves to 8-2 all-time vs. Tulane and 3-1 in Turchin Stadium
• The 'Eater offense needed just four hits for five runs, and for the second time this season win a game while being out-hit
• Bermudez had the only crooked number on the box score with two RBIs. Eight of nine Anteaters reached base with just Call who had an RBI on the squeeze left out. Caden Kendle doubled and walked to improve his on-base streak to 47 games
• UCI avoided the big inning and held the Green Wave back as they left 10 runners on base, a runner left on in seven of nine innings, and three innings with multiple left on

The sides come together for game two on Saturday with a 12:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time start and Riley Kelly facing off with Chandler Welch.

Postgame Thoughts from Coach Orloff
"It was a good way to win a Friday night game on the road. First time for us going on the road, and this place is loud and not the easiest to play in. I thought we did a good job of finding a way to win. Winning is difficult, all we have to do is look at box scores across the country; winning is hard in college baseball. Good job of doing enough to win, getting the big inning on offense, staying away from the big inning on defense, and Tibbett being really good late in the game."

"It's a Friday night, it's tough to win, and their guy was throwing the ball well, they really had us in check. I think our discipline, hitting with two strikes, and some small-game stuff got us the big inning and that's how you win games; we got the big inning and didn't give up the big inning."