Anteaters Foiled By Unbeaten No. 20 USC

Tuesday, March 3

Los Angeles, Calif.

6:00 PM

UC Irvine

8-5

USC

12-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UC Irvine	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	4	8	1
USC	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	2	X	6	8	0

tommy-farmer-uci-bsb-2026-usc-california

Photo by: Matt Brown

Anteaters Foiled By Unbeaten No. 20 USC

March 03, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Alex Roberts-Croteau

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball went up against 11-0 and 20th-ranked USC Tuesday night in the brand new Dedeaux Field with the Trojans deciding the game late to defeat UCI, 6-4.

Everything was UC Irvine to start the game with a three-run first inning
- Zach Fjelstad doubled and quickly came in to score on Alonso Reyes' RBI single
- Two batters later, Tommy Farmer connected for his first home run as an Anteater to center field to make it a 3-0 UCI lead
USC chipped away at the deficit with solo home runs to start their first and second innings before taking the lead in the third on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly for a 4-3 USC lead
The bullpens took over in the middle innings
- USC used five different relievers down the final five innings limiting the 'Eaters to three hits
- Tyler Foster made a statement taking the mound for starter Jack Ross and pumped in three scoreless innings allowing just two baserunners
UCI did manage the tying run in the sixth inning. James Castagnola's double started things out, and he made it to third before a two-out balk gave him home plate and made it a 4-4 game
USC got the breakthrough in the eighth inning against Ryder Brooks for the Anteaters
- A leadoff walk followed by a single put things in motion
- A sacrifice bunt moved the runners up, and the go-ahead run would score on a grounder to make it 5-4
- For good measure, USC got a triple to drive in the insurance run for a 6-4 score

USC 6, UC Irvine 4

The Anteaters still hold the all-time series lead by a slim margin of 41-40
- USC remains 1 of 2 unbeaten teams on the season
- The 20th-ranked Trojans mark the third ranked squad UCI has gone up against now sitting 2-1 against them
UCI's offense had its chances leaving 10 runners on base including at least one in seven different innings and bases loaded in the fifth
- Farmer's home run is just the second of the season for UCI and the second of his collegiate career
- Fjelstad and Reyes each had two-hit games for UCI with Reyes joining Farmer as 'Eaters to both score a run and drive one in
Tyler Foster had the best line of any pitcher on the evening with his three scoreless frames and three strikeouts. He lowers his season ERA to 1.23
- Ryder Brooks was touched up for the first time this season drawing the loss. He still sports a 1.98 ERA

The 'Eaters will move on to Big West play this weekend starting Friday, March 6. UC Irvine welcomes in CSUN for three games who are 7-5 coming off an extra-inning midweek win over Michigan

Postgame Thoughts from head coach Ben Orloff
"It was a good game; the type of game where you don't get many opportunities and they took advantage. At the end of the day, we didn't do enough to win."

"Foster was really good. Feels like every time out he's getting better. Three shutout, no walks, he really stabilized the game and gave us a chance to get back into it and win."