UC Irvine
35-10
UCLA
16-30
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 1 |
| UC Irvine | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 9 | 7 | 0 |
No. 16 Anteaters Battle for 9-6 win over UCLA
May 07, 2024 | Baseball
- A crowd of 1,990 fans showed up to Cicerone Field as UC Irvine Health presented Stroke Awareness Night at the ballpark
- The 'Eaters responded giving the fans a two-run first inning starting with an RBI double off the bat of Jo Oyama
- The second run was record-breaking Will Bermudez reached on a hit by pitch and was followed by the next hitter Thomas McCaffrey to be hit by a pitch and force in a run
- The HBP was No. 134 on the season for the Anteaters resetting a program record they broke in 2023 as the team sits as the NCAA leader in the category this year
- The pitching held the Bruins scoreless in the first two innings in a big way
- Danny Suarez returned after missing over a full year as the Tuesday starter, and after a leadoff single struck out the next three hitters to get back to the dugout
- Riley Kelly also returned starting the second inning, and followed Suarez's lead by allowing a leadoff single before getting the next three hitters
- The offense returned with four runs in the second inning to up their lead to 6-0
- Dub Gleed delivered with two outs doubling into the left field corner to score two runs
- Will Bermudez got his own double into right-center bring home the other two
- UCLA woke up in the fifth inning dropping five runs highlighted by a three-run home run to start the score, but a big pitch by Ricky Ojeda left two on and kept the 6-5 lead
- The bats worked up a quick response with two runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to an Oyama grounder and wild pitch to lead 8-5
- Earlier in the inning, UCLA head coach and former UC Irvine head coach John Savage was ejected from the game after disagreeing with a call from the dugout
- Chase Call wrapped his second double of the game over his brother Phoenix's head in left field to make it a 9-5 lead in the sixth. Phoenix evened the score the next batter by making a spectacular catch and doubling his brother up for the final out of the inning
- Ricky Ojeda took the reins from there putting in 3.2 innings on the night of scoreless ball on just 45 pitches while punching out a career-high seven hitters to collect his fourth win
- UCI did all their damage on just seven hits with Bermudez and Call finishing with two-hit nights
- The 'Eaters drew 10 walks along with three HBP. Myles Smith walked four times with Woody Hadeen adding three and scoring three times between them
- The win breaks new ground as UCI wins its seventh straight against the Bruins setting a new high in the all-time series for either side in the 98th matchup between the programs
Postgame Thoughts with Ricky Ojeda
"Everything was working good which is great. I've been trying to work to get my offspeed down for a while so that was nice being able to throw all my pitches for strikes. And it's fun being able to come in to a close game, get the adrenaline rush, and then right after the offense scores three runs to help you out and get a bit of a cushion."
"Tonight was real fun, a lot of people came out. The hill was filled up which is cool, I think a lot of students, and we hadn't really played in front of that kind of crowd since the Dodger Stadium. So it a game like this, it's easier to get locked in and pumped up."
Helllllloooo Danny Suarez, back to strike out the side in the 1st!! #EatersGottaEat pic.twitter.com/9FngZnIDcp
— UCI Baseball (@UCIbsb) May 8, 2024
Jo getting things started!! #EatersGottaEat pic.twitter.com/RqcfS2uYVb
— UCI Baseball (@UCIbsb) May 8, 2024
?? Anteater Record Alert ??
— UCI Baseball (@UCIbsb) May 8, 2024
The nation's leader in HBP just did it for the 134th time, a UC Irvine record!!
And an RBI for Thomas McCaffrey to boot, 2-0 'Eaters #thankyousir pic.twitter.com/QC2WAaMXY6
Chase gets it juuuussssttt over his brother for the RBI!! #EatersGottaEat pic.twitter.com/3z51qIuDQi
— UCI Baseball (@UCIbsb) May 8, 2024
Just call him RicKy O-KKKKKKK-da #EatersGottaEat pic.twitter.com/NIqHpWwz1s
— UCI Baseball (@UCIbsb) May 8, 2024
Ricky finishes it!! 'Eaters win in front of 1,990 fans tonight
— UCI Baseball (@UCIbsb) May 8, 2024
'Eaters 9, UCLA 5#EatersGottaEat pic.twitter.com/SgL143xsCe
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ojeda, Ricky (4-1)
L: Stump, Landon (0-5)
Batting:
2B: Levu, Mulivai 1
HR: Gourson, Duce 1 ; Martin, Roman 1
RBI: Gourson, Duce 1 ; Martin, Roman 3 ; Schrier, Cody 1 ; Knight, Malakhi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Salgado, AJ 1 ; Gourson, Duce 1 ; Martin, Roman 1 ; Cholowsky, Roch 1 ; Levu, Mulivai 1 ; Call, Phoenix 1
Batting:
2B: Oyama, Jo 1 ; Gleed, Dub 1 ; Bermudez, Will 1 ; Call, Chase 2
RBI: Oyama, Jo 2 ; Gleed, Dub 2 ; Bermudez, Will 2 ; McCaffrey, Thomas 1 ; Call, Chase 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hadeen, Woody 2 ; Oyama, Jo 1 ; Smith, Myles 1 ; Gleed, Dub 2 ; Call, Chase 1 ; Stinson, Jacob 2
SB: Oyama, Jo 1
HBP: Oyama, Jo 1 ; Bermudez, Will 2 ; McCaffrey, Thomas 1
