SAN DIEGO – The visiting UC Irvine Anteaters seized early control with a combined six runs in second and third innings to key their 14-2 triumph over San Diego State in a non-conference game Tuesday at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Despite an aggregate nine strikeouts, Aztec pitchers allowed 12 hits and nine walks while hitting four batters en route to their second straight defeat.
Offensively, SDSU (16-21) was limited to five singles, including two by Cade Martinez, while Caden Miller, Xavier Gonzalez and Trevor Fox accounted for the other three hits.
Conversely, UCI (24-13) finished with five extra-base hits, including home runs by Luke Spillane and Myles Smith, who combined for five RBIs, while Abraham Garcia-Pacheco (4 RBIs) and Jo Oyama (3 hits, 2 RBIs) both doubled.
The Anteaters grabbed a 3-0 lead they would not relinquish in the top of the second when Spillane and Caden Kendle were both hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, sandwiched around Oyama's RBI single. Chase Call drew a base on balls to lead off the frame, while Smith followed with a single to center field, as both runners advanced on a balk before Spillane was intentionally walked.
UCI extended its advantage to 6-0 in the third when Spillane hit a three-run homer to left-center field, driving in Call and Smith, who both walked.
The Aztecs answered with a marker in the bottom of the frame when Evan Sipe crossed the plate on Caden Miller's single to right. Previously, Sipe was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, advancing on Cade Martinez's single and Shaun Montoya's sacrifice bunt.
However, the Scarlet and Black's momentum was short-circuited on the play, as Miller was thrown out at second trying to stretch his hit into a double, while Anteater starting pitcher David Vizcaino induced a groundout to prevent further damage.
UCI put the game essentially out of reach in the fourth with four runs on three hits, highlighted by Garcia-Pacheco's bases-clearing double. Earlier, Anthony Martinez laced a one-out single up the middle and Dub Gleed walked, with both players advancing on a passed ball. Call was subsequently put aboard with an intentional walk before Garcia-Pacheco lifted a double to right-center just past the outstretched arm of a hard-charging Montoya, as all three runners raced home.
Moments later, Smith walked and moved to second on a wild pitch, while Garcia-Pacheco took third before Auggie Gutierrez was hit by a pitch to reload the bases. Oyama then beat out a slow grounder to short, as Garcia-Pacheco scored to give the visitors an insurmountable 10-1 lead.
The Anteaters added to the Aztecs' woes in the fifth when Anthony Martinez singled and later scored on Garcia-Pacheco's sacrifice fly. Smith followed with a two-run homer to right-center, plating Gleed, who was previously hit by a pitch.
After Anthony Martinez drove in Oyama with a single to left in the eighth, SDSU closed out the scoring in their last at-bat when David Whittle drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Cole Carrigg, who earlier drew a base on balls before advancing on a pair of wild pitches.
Vizcaino (5-2) picked up the victory after yielding one run on four hits without a walk in five innings to go with a pair of strikeouts, while Nick Rincover, Cooper Robinson and Max Martin each pitched a scoreless frame before Michael Pirrello and Elliot Joslin split time in the ninth.
On the flip side, Julian Jackson (1-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs on three hits and a pair of walks in 1 1/3 innings.
In all, the Scarlet and Black employed eight hurlers on the evening, as Connor Abadie (1.1 IP), Xavier Cardenas III (1.0 IP) and Kelena Sauer (1.0 IP) each completed a scoreless stint, along with Brian Leonhardt, who struck out the lone batter he faced with the bases loaded in the second.
San Diego State continues its homestand this weekend when it squares off against UNLV in a three-game Mountain West series, April 28-30, at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Aztecs Fall to UC Irvine in Midweek Game
