The UCI Men’s Baseball team (4-0) defeated the USC Trojans (3-1), 8-7, at Dedeaux Field on Tuesday, Feb. 21.
Caden Kendle, Jo Oyama, Tony Martinez and Will Bermudez all recorded multi-hit games for the ‘Eaters. Kendle handled most of the run production of the night with four RBI’s to his name. Bermudez and Martinez both recorded an RBI to add to UCI’s efforts. Yet arguably the biggest play of the night for the ‘Eaters was made by Call, whose home run changed the momentum of the game and gave UCI the spark to claim the victory away from the Trojans.
UCI graduate pitcher Andre Antone got the start for the Anteaters on a chilly night, opening the match with a strong start as he struck out the first batter he faced. USC junior outfielder Carson Wells immediately brought Antone back to reality, launching a moonshot of a home run over the center field fence to give USC a 1-0 lead after one inning.
UCI strung together an answer in the top of the third. Junior outfielder Caden Kendle stepped in the box and proceeded to drive the full count pitch off the base of the center field wall for a triple, allowing redshirt sophomore second baseman Will Bermudez and junior third baseman Jo Oyama to score. Freshman first baseman Tony Martinez joined in on the extra base hit party, scoring Kendle with his second double of the game.
Luckily for the Trojans, sophomore pitcher Caden Aoki managed to get the last two outs of the inning, but the third inning proved to be his last.
UCI scratched across another run during the top of the fourth. With two outs in the inning, Bermudez recorded his second hit of the night as he drove a double into the right-center gap, scoring sophomore outfielder Chase Call from first base.
Antone was relieved in the bottom of the fifth inning, giving way to senior pitcher Nick Rincover. Rincover ran into trouble right off the bat, giving up a leadoff single followed by a walk. Somewhat recovering, Rincover recorded the first out of the inning on a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners up to second and third.
A strikeout of the next Trojan batter put USC’s back against the wall with two outs in the inning. However, a walk loaded the bases and set the table for USC redshirt freshman infielder Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, who promptly unloaded the bases with one swing, doubling to right center. Martin-Grudzielanek himself scored one batter later on a single up the middle, putting the score at 5-4 in USC’s favor.
Both teams put up a run in the sixth inning, making the score 6-5 as USC still held on to a one-run advantage.
The Anteaters broke the game open in the top of the eighth inning. With a quick two outs recorded, things looked bleak for UCI, who still trailed by one this late in the game.
Call stepped to the plate and tied the game up with one swing. After a tense two pitches, Call connected, crushing an absolute moonshot over the centerfield fence, tying the game at six and sending the Anterater dugout into chaos.
Two walks and a hit-by-pitch followed the monstrous homerun, loading the bases for the Anteaters’ most prolific hitter, Kendle. Kendle continued to show why he is such a highly-touted prospect as he poked a double past the first base bag, scoring two more runs.
After an action-packed bottom of the eighth, UCI regained the lead 8-6.
The Trojans, however, refused to go down easily. UCI freshman pitcher Max Martin was called on to attempt to record the save for the Anteaters. Wells notched his second hit and second extra base hit of the evening for USC, smoking the first pitch Martin threw for a double. Wells later came around to score to pull the Trojans back within one at 8-7.
However, Martin proceeded to slam the door, getting the final three outs of the game and holding on to record his first collegiate save.
Zeke Bellino is a Sports Intern for the winter 2023 quarter. He can be reached at zbellino@uci.edu.