BAKERSFIELD, Calif.-Andrew Letourneau's (Jr., Bakersfield,
Calif., Bakersfield College)
RBI single in the bottom of the 10th capped off a CSUB comeback as the
Roadrunners (24-13) defeated No. 17 UC Irvine (26-12) 5-4 in 10 innings Friday
night at Hardt Field.
Drew Hillman's RBI single in the top of the first gave the
Anteaters the early lead. The run was unearned as the Roadrunners committed
three errors in the inning. UCI starting pitcher Matt Summers retired the first
10 CSUB batters he faced before Letourneau singled to center with one out in
the bottom of the fourth. The 'Runners put runners on first and third with two
outs in the fourth, but Oscar Sanay (Fr., Chula
Vista, Calif., Bonita
Vista HS) lined out to Summers to end the frame.
UC Irvine used timely hitting with two outs to score two
runs in the top of the seventh. The Anteaters posted five of their 10 hits in
the game during the stanza. Tyler
Shryock (Fr., Tehachapi, Calif., Desert Christian HS) opened the top
of the ninth with a single to center. Ryan McIntyre (Jr. Henderson, Nev., Coronado
HS) walked to chase Summers. The Anteaters' closer Brian Hernandez came in from
his starting third base position in relief.
Letourneau singled up the middle to plate Shryock bring up
Jeremy Rodriguez (Jr., Thousand Oaks,
Calif., Crespi HS) who singled to
left center to score McIntyre and chase Hernandez in favor Jimmy Litchfield. CSUB
cleanup hitter Martin Medina (Jr., Ventura,
Calif., St. Bonaventure HS) became
the first batter Litchfield faced. Medina
grounded into a fielder's choice to shortstop, but Letourneau scored to make it
4-3.
Sanay came up with one out and singled to right center to
bring up DC Legg (Jr., Murrietta, Calif., Cypress College) who lined out to right for the
second out. Mick Gaston (Jr., Quartz
Hill, Calif. (Quartz
Hill HS) who singled down the right field line to score Medina and tie the game
4-4. Kevin Younger (So., Bakersfield,
Calif., Liberty HS) fouled to
first out to end the inning and send it to extras.
Shryock opened the bottom of the 10th with a single up the
middle off of the Anteaters' fourth pitcher of the night, Nick Hoover. McIntyre's
sacrifice bunt moved Shryock to second setting up Letourneau's game winning
hit.
Letourneau ended the night 3-for-5 with two RBI's. Shryock
was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Hillman went 3-for-4 to pace UCI. Nick
Shannon (R-Sr., Mesa, Ariz.
(Chandler-Gilbert CC) earned the victory with two innings of scoreless relief
of starter Mike McCarthy (R-Sr., Brentwood, Calif., Univ.
of Redlands). McCarthy
struck out five and did not walk a batter in eight innings of work.
The series continues Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
~www.GoRunners.com~
