ricky-ojeda-uci-bsb-2024-calpoly-sdsu-ucla
Robert Huskey
6
UCLA UCLA 16-30
9
Winner UC Irvine UCI 35-10
UCLA UCLA
16-30
6
Final
9
UC Irvine UCI
35-10
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
UCLA UCLA 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 1 6 12 1
UC Irvine UCI 2 4 0 0 2 1 0 0 X 9 7 0

W: Ojeda, Ricky (4-1) L: Stump, Landon (0-5)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Alex Roberts-Croteau

No. 16 Anteaters Battle for 9-6 win over UCLA

IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball got back on track with a resounding 9-6 win Tuesday night in Anteater Ballpark to finish a season sweep of UCLA.
  • 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
Next up for the Anteaters is six of their next seven away from home starting Friday night at 6:00 p.m. at Long Beach State.

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."

 
 
 
 
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