BAKERSFIELD, Calif—Jerry McClanahan's infield single with two outs in the top of the 10th gave No. 21 UC Irvine (16-5) at 5-4 victory over CSU Bakersfield (17-8) Tuesday night at Hardt Field.
Connor Spencer walked on four straight pitches to lead off the 10th off of CSUB reliever Hayden Carter (So., San Diego, Calif., Vista HS). Dylan Christensen (Sr., Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Saddleback College), the Roadrunner closer entered the game to match up against UC Irvine cleanup hitter Ronnie Shaeffer who posted a successful sacrifice bunt to move Spencer up to second. Shaeffer moved to third on a passed ball. With the infield in, Sparks grounded out to second, setting the stage for McClanahan's gamewinning single.
Mitch Merten made his first appearance of the year for the Anteaters in the bottom of the 10th. With one out, Mylz Jones (Fr., Palmdale, Calif., Paraclete HS) recorded his fourth hit of the night, an infield single. Oscar Sanay (Jr., Chula Vista, Calif., Bonita Vista HS) earned his third hit of the evening, a double to left to push Jones to third. Frank Martinez (Sr., Riverside, Calif., East LA College) fouled out to bring up Pierce who struck out to end the game.
Jonathan Herkins put UCI in the lead with an RBI single in the top of the second. A Taylor Sparks sacrifice fly drove in the second Anteaters' run in the third. The Roadrunners took advantage of an Irvine error to get one back in the fourth.
Mikey Duarte's triple to right center scored Sparks in the top of the sixth for the third UCI run. The fourth Anteaters' run came later in the sixth on a double steal with Duarte making it home. Sanay tripled in Tyler Shryock (Jr., Tehacahpi, Calif., Desert Christian HS) in the bottom of the sixth to make it 4-2. Jordie Hein (So., Scottsdale, Ariz., Chapparal HS) scored on a wild pitch with one out in the seventh to cut the lead to one. Shryock opened the bottom of the frame with a single to left. With one out, doubled to right center to bring up Sanay.
UCI brought in their closer, Race Parmenter who intentionally walked Sanay to get to. Martinez lined out to second for out No. 2. Parmenter struck out Garrett Pierce (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Centennial HS) looking to end the inning. Hein opened the bottom of the ninth with a single to left center and advanced to second on a Parmenter wild pitch. Christensen used a sacrifice bunt to move Hein to third. Kevin Younger (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Liberty HS) drove in Hein with a sacrifice fly to right. Shryock struck out to end the inning.
The Roadrunners outhit the Anteaters 12-6. Jones extended his hitting streak to 16 with a double in the bottom of the second. Jones' streak is the second longest in school history. Jeremy Rodriguez holds the record with a 19-game streak which he put up in 2010. He had three hits on the night. Shryock and Hein also had two hits.
The Roadrunners host the program's first Western Athletic Conference series Thursday-Saturday when New Mexico State comes to Hardt Field. On Thursday and Friday, first pitch is set for 6 p.m. Saturday's matchup begins at 1 p.m.
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