The UCI Baseball team fell to the Long Beach State Dirtbags, 9-0, after a 2-1 record prior to the series. This fourth and final game took place at the Cicerone Field at the Anteater Park on May 2.
Both the first and second inning proved to be a slow start for the two teams. Starting for the Anteaters was junior pitcher Peter Van Loon on the mound, hoping for a tough defensive performance.
In the third inning, the Dirtbags began to set a rhythm after LBSU senior outfielder Calvin Estrada hit a home run with a runner on base. This play earned Long Beach a two-run lead ahead of the Anteaters, who continued to struggle both offensively and defensively.
From the fourth through the sixth inning, the Dirtbags continued their steady scoring. LBSU maintained great offensive skills, with both singles and doubles successfully getting players around the bases.
On the other hand, Irvine suffered from a series of pop flies, strikeouts, and got out as they ran to base. The bottom of the innings quickly passed by as the Anteaters were in a scoring drought throughout the game.
The Dirtbags’ star player in this match was sophomore outfielder Chase Luttrell, who hit both a double followed by a triple against the Anteaters. He made a major contribution with the seven-run lead against UCI.
Heading into the seventh inning, UCI junior catcher Jacob Castro saw some action with a double hit. However, the Dirtbags extended their lead to 9-0 after LBSU freshman infielder Sebastian Murillo hit a double; this allowed two runners to come home. With only two innings left, the Anteaters were unfortunately not able to close the scoring gap before the end of the match.
Despite the tough loss against the Long Beach Dirtbags, the Anteaters faced off against UC Santa Barbara from May 7-9 and took three of the four games.
Malia Nazario is a Staff Writer. She can be reached at mnazario@uci.edu.