IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball began their non-conference weekend with No. 17 Oregon State dropping the opener, 5-1. Friday night in Anteater Ballpark.
- The Beavers jumped on Anteater starter with a walk and double from the first two batters of the game and one coming around to score in the first for a 1-0 deficit
- The story of the night was pitching with All-American and top draft prospect Dax Whitney on the mound for the Beavers with Trevor Hansen going for the 'Eaters
- The duo carved up the offenses through the early going with a host of strikeouts from either side and a 1-0 game through four innings
- Whitney finished with 11 strikeouts over 5.1 innings while Hansen went 5.2 innings striking out seven
- Hansen sailed through a lot of the Beaver lineup, but the top two hitters of the order, Easton Talt and Adam Haight, gave him trouble reaching all three times they came around adn scoring twice
- Oregon State put together a three-run sixth inning to finally knock Hansen out after 101 pitches that included two bloop RBI singles and a safety squeeze that put OSU ahead, 5-0
- UCI's offense woke up in their half of the sixth inning with Frankie Carney reaching on a walk and getting to third base before a Zach Fjelstad double into the corner scored him and made it a 5-1 game
- The Anteaters had more chances including leaving two of their eight runners on base in the eighth inning unable to cut into the deficit
Oregon State 5, UC Irvine 1
- Hansen was saddled with all five runs on the evening as he registers his first loss of 2026
- Behind him, the 'Eaters had shutout relief started by Dane Grant going 1.1 innings and David Butler over 2.0 innings with each allowing just one hit and striking out three
- For Whitney, he did give up a run, his four earned run of the year, and walked three, but added 11 strikeouts
- The Beavers' staff struck out 19 Anteater hitters between Whitney, Isaac Yeager, and Wyatt Queen which is a new program high for UCI hitting
- On offense, Carney and Fjelstad each had two hits accounting for all four Anteater hits on the night.
- Carney also walked to reach three times on the night, he also stole a base, and he along with Noah Alvarez were the only 'Eaters to avoid striking out
- Lucas Schermer also worked two walks, part of five on the night for the 'Eaters
The weekend series continues Saturday, March 21, with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch between
Ricky Ojeda and OSU's Ethan Kleinschmit
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