HONOLULU, Hawai'i --- UC Irvine baseball got an important win to start their road series at Hawai'i in Les Murakami Stadium Thursday, 6-3, behind the thunder of
Anthony Martinez's two home runs.
- The early lead went to the Rainbow Warriors taking advantage of the homefield. Working a two-out walk, Austin Machado chopped a ball high off the turf for an infield single with the throw to first thrown away. Catcher Thomas McCaffrey retrieved the ball, runner Matthew Miura was headed the home all the way from first and touched home thanks to a wide feed for a wild way to start, 1-0
- Anthony Martinez quickly erased the deficit homering just over the right field wall to begin the second inning and knot things up, 1-1
- Later in the inning, UCI would load the bases and take the 2-1 lead off a Luke Spillane single, but could not manage to add on leaving the bases loaded
- As the two starters cruised into the fifth inning, Hawai'i went to the bullpen looking to escape a jam with two runners on. With two out, Martinez returned to do more damage swatting a ball way out and just fair for a three-run homer to make it a 5-1 lead
- The Warriors answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to close it to 5-2. UCI got the run back in the seventh as Caden Kendle beat out a double play ball to extend the inning and drive in a run.
- UH threatened in the eighth loading the bases after making two quick outs in the inning. Ricky Tibbett was called upon and promptly walked in a run, but recovered to get the final out and leave the bases loaded still leading 6-3.
- Tibbett finished the ninth with a strikeout for his fifth save of the year and the 6-3 win to open the weekend.
- Starter Nick Pinto was superb again throwing six quality innings with just one unearned striking out three in the process on just five hits. He's now 5-1 on the year and collected his 21st career victory tying Eric Pettis for 11th on the all-time list
- Martinez picks up his first two-HR game in his career, the 49th in program history, and first-ever at Hawai'i. He joins Thomas McCaffrey as Anteaters that have done it this season. He also drove in four RBis for his third 4-RBI game in his last five
- Luke Spillane bounced back with a three-hit night scoring a run, driving one in, and stealing a base
- Caden Kendle reached base for the 61st consecutive game adding an RBI to his night
- The win puts the 'Eaters to 20-3 on the season and keeps them in first in the Big West with a record of 6-1
The series continues Friday evening with a 6:35 p.m. local start, 9:35 p.m. Pacific time.
Trevor Hansen takes the mound for UCI being opposed by fifth-year lefty Randy Abshier for Hawai'i.
Postgame Thoughts from Nick Pinto
"I felt good. Going out there, they've always got a great crowd here so it's always fun to play here. I was just locating well, and towards the end of the game I was just trying to give it my best effort."
"When Martinez hits those homers, I'm just trying not to act all crazy, I've got to act like I'm locked in, but in my head I'm going crazy. I love watching him hit home runs, it's the best."
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