Box Score IRVINE, Calif.—UC Irvine defeated CSU Bakersfield 6-1 in the opening game of three-game series at Cicerone Field Friday night.
After scoring once in the second, a balk, and RBI singles from Jerry McClanahan, and Parker Coss led to a Grant Palmer base hit that scored two to complete the Anteaters' outburst. UC Irvine added an unearned run in the seventh.
UCI starter Elliot Surrey retired 11 CSUB batters in a row until Kris Cayton (R-Sr., Manhattan Beach, Calif., LA Harbor College) led off the eighth with a pinch-hit double. Chance Gusbeth (Jr., Lancaster, Calif., Desert Christian HS) broke a 0-for-15 slump with a single that advanced Cayton to third. Jordie Hein's (Sr., Scottdale, Ariz., Chapparal HS) fielder's choice with one out scored Cayton and broke an 18.1 inning scoreless drought for the Roadrunners to make the score 6-1. David Metzgar (So., Lancaster, Calif., Paraclete HS) walked to give CSUB runners on first and second with two outs.
The walk chased Surrey as Sam Moore came on in relief to face Mylz Jones (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Paraclete HS). Moore got Jones to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning. Moore retired the Roadrunners in the ninth to finish the game.
Hein and Soloman Williams (Sr., Long Beach, Calif., Golden West College) combined for four (two each) of the six Roadrunner hits. CSUB starter Hayden Carter (Sr., San Diego, Calif., Vista HS) lost for the first time since opening day. He gave up all nine of the Anteaters' hits. Palmer, Coss, Mikey Duarte each went 2-for-4 for UCI.
“There isn't really much I can say about this game because we didn't do anything,” said CSUB head coach Bill Kernen. “Carter had his worst game of the year and we didn't hit so we were never really in the game once they got the lead. The highlights would have been some of the defensive plays that we made, but certainly that wasn't enough to be competitive tonight.”
CSUB (11-10-1) continues the series against UCI on Saturday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. Saturday's game is set for a p.m. first pitch and can be heard in Bakersfield on 1230 ESPN Sports beginning at 12:30 p.m. The game can also be heard online at www.1230espnsports.com as well as the listen live link on the schedule page here. Sunday's series finale at UC Irvine will be an internet-only broadcast with coverage underway at 12:45 p.m. and first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. Fans can listen to that game exclusively at GoRunners.com.
The Roadrunners return home after nine games away from Hardt Field on Mar. 27 when CSUB opens a WAC series against Utah Valley. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com.
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