james-castagnola-uci-bsb-2024-2025-mlbdesertinvitational-newmexico
Matt Brown
18
Winner UC Irvine UCI 2-1
4
New Mexico UNM 1-1
Winner
UC Irvine UCI
2-1
18
Final
4
New Mexico UNM
1-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
UC Irvine UCI 0 3 1 0 3 0 7 0 4 18 15 0
New Mexico UNM 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 4 4 2

W: Ross, Jack (1-0) L: LOPEZ, D. (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Alex Roberts-Croteau

Anteaters Score 18-4 Win over New Mexico

MESA, Ariz. --- UC Irvine baseball improved to 2-0 on the weekend and season with a resounding 18-4 victory Saturday at the MLB Desert Invitational over New Mexico at the Spring Training ground of the Chicago Cubs, Sloan Park.
  • Jack Ross was the storied in an otherwise offensive affair. The junior college transfer made his Division I debut and dazzled
    • After a leadoff walk, he set down the next 13 Lobo hitters
    • Ross began his UCI account with 4.1 no-hit innings before a double in the fifth
    • Ross struck out four and left with a runner on that came around for his final line of two earned runs in 5.1 innings
  • Behind Ross, the bats put up a constant attack including four innings with three or more runs
    • The 'Eaters got out to the 3-0 lead in the second inning punctuated by Zach Fjelstad's first career hit driving in two on a double
    • Now up 4-0 in the fifth, UC Irvine got back-to-back scoring hits with Alonso Reyes singling home two up the middle and Zach Crandall wrapping a double down the left field line to make it a 7-0 lead
    • After three New Mexico runs in the sixth, the Anteaters put up a touchdown in the seventh inning in response.
      • Fjelstad got a third RBI from a bases loaded infield single
      • UCI forced in two runs on a Davis D'Errico walk and Will Bermudez hit by pitch
      • Colin Yeaman slugged his second bases-clearing hit in as many days doubling down the line to score three
      • Chase Call brought Yeaman home on a sacrifice fly to complete the scoring, 14-3
    • UCI capped the afternoon with long balls in the ninth. Chase Call launched a three-run home run, and the next batter Jacob McCombs hit his first out as an Anteater for the 18-3 advantage
  • All nine Anteater starters had a run scored and an RBI. Chase Call led with four RBIs while Reyes had three hits to lead UCI of its 15 hits
  • On the mound, Ross picked up his first win as an Anteater. Behind him were Ryder Brooks who struck out four hitters in two innings allowing a run. David Utagawa also had scoreless ball in 0.2 innings
  • More Anteater made their debuts with transfer Zach Crandall behind the plate to start receiving Ross, and freshmen played pinch-hit roles with Theo Kim getting his first career hit and Ryan Castro earning a walk in his first collegiate action
  • On the mound, junior college transfer Jaxton Andeel made his Division I debut allowing a run in the ninth while picking up his first strikeout
The weekend finishes off with a heavyweight matchup Sunday in Sloan Park. The 'Eaters take on No. 16 Vanderbilt of the SEC looking to go 3-0 in the MLB Desert Invitational, first pitch at 11:00 a.m. PST.

Postgame Thoughts from Head Coach Ben Orloff
"Jack Ross has been as good as we've had since we've been back from Winter Break and really since he's been on campus. He throws a lot of strikes, he's competitive, he mixes, so yeah great first college start for Jack."

"It's been a really good 1-through-9 attack the last two days. A lot of different contributions. Fjelstad that double was big to open up the game. It's fun, there's a lot of guys contributing and it's been a good start so far."


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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