No. 21 UC Irvine Comes Out On Top in 11-10 Slugfest

Sunday, February 23

Lubbock, Tex.

10:30 AM PST

UC Irvine

4-3

Texas Tech

1-5

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UC Irvine	0	3	2	2	1	0	3	0	0	11	11	1
Texas Tech	3	0	0	2	0	4	1	0	0	10	10	3

Photo by: Matt Brown

No. 21 UC Irvine Comes Out On Top in 11-10 Slugfest

February 23, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Alex Roberts-Croteau

LUBBOCK, Tex. --- A whirlwind Sunday rubber match at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park featured seven long balls and three lead changes before the Anteaters closed down the 11-10 win to take the series over the hosts Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders were feeling batty early with back-to-back home runs in the first innings to take a 3-0 lead.
UCI answered with three in the second inning as Rowan Felsch went opposite-field for his first Division I homer to close to within 3-2, and the 'Eaters tied it up on a Colin Yeaman single and nearly took the lead with the third out recorded just before UCI's fourth run crossed the plate
The 'Eaters would emphatically take the lead the next inning as Jacob McCombs lifted a ball out in the deepest part of the park for a 5-3 advantage
That lead grew to 7-3 the next inning on a Chase Call two-run home run
Texas Tech got a two-run home run in their half of the fourth before Colin Yeaman's solo home run in the fifth inning put the score at 8-5
The Red Raiders didn't need the long ball to take the lead back in the sixth inning scoring four runs including the lead-swinging, two-out, three-run double to make it 9-8
UCI put runners on in the seventh inning before Chase Call had the breakthrough, two-out single up the middle to take the lead back, 10-9. An error on a James Castagnola grounder the next play would bring home the decisive 11th run for the 'Eaters
Texas Tech came right back with a threat in their seventh drawing to within 11-10, but Max Martin pitched through his jam for a strikeout to leave the bases loaded
The final two innings were controlled by the pitching with both staffs pitching zeroes.
- David Butler took the torch for the 'Eaters and faced the minimum getting the Red Raiders 1-2-3 in the eighth and inducing a game-ending double play in the ninth to preserve the one-run victory for his first career save
The offense had nine hits on the afternoon, five singles and four that left the yard.
- Three 'Eaters had two-hit games led by Chase Call's four-RBI game
- Theo Kim reached three times on walks and scored twice in his first collegiate start
- Will Bermudez was hitless but was hit by pitch twice to reach 50 in his career, one off the program's all-time mark
Max Martin held the line in the seventh to earn the victory as he remains unbeaten in his UCI career
- Trevor Hansen was effective in 4.1 innings leaving with a lead and striking out two

UCI has now gone 2-1 in each of their first two weekend series, both away from home. They return home with a 4-3 overall mark for their next four games at home starting Wednesday night, February 26, vs. Utah Tech; first pitch at 6:00 p.m.