RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball got it going from the opening batter to win Friday night at Riverside Sports Complex, 15-1, over UC Riverside
- Myles Smith started the game off with a home run to right field as part of a six-run first inning
- After an unearned run came up in the bottom of the first, Thomas McCaffrey belted a home run the next inning to get it back and then some and lead 8-1
- UCI put up three more runs in the fifth inning from RBI singles by Smith and Caden Kendle along with a run-scoring hit by pitch for Woody Hadeen to go up 11-1
- Anthony Martinez parked a three-run home run in the seventh for another three-run frame and a 14-1 lead
- Smith bookended the night with a solo home run in the eighth inning, his second of the game, and a 15-1 lead
- Nick Pinto was just as impressive on the mound pitching six solid innings without an earned run allowed
- Pinto struck out seven hitters to reach 300 strikeouts for his career on the night becoming just the fourth Anteater to reach the mark joining Glenn Swanson, Scott Gorgen, and his coach, Daniel Bibona
- His performance also earned him his eighth win of the year, a new single-season high for the fifth-year Anteater, and giving him 25 for his career to tie Bob Barlow for eighth in program history
- Smith's night out of the leadoff spot produced three hits, all driving in a run, and his first career two-HR game, the team's third of the season
- Martinez led the squad with four RBIs from his two hits, and joined McCaffrey and Call who each had two hits and two RBIs
- Caden Kendle had a hit, three walks, three runs, and an RBI on the night just behind Hadeen in the order who reached three times and scored twice
UC Irvine's win to open the series gives it 30 on the year, the 22nd 30-win season in 24 full seasons since returning in 2002, and made it happen on head coach
Ben Orloff's birthday.
The series continues Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. with
Trevor Hansen and Matthew Flores squaring off on the mound.
Postgame Thoughts with head coach Ben Orloff
"To come out and score six from the bats right away to start the game on a Friday night takes a lot of the pressure off when you've got a lead like that. Myles is really, really good, and it was great to see Woody and Dub back on the left side."
"What a career accomplishment for Pinto and he's pitched good for a long time. He showed his experience tonight without his best stuff; to get six innings on Friday night is huge and help sets us up for the next two nights."
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