LBSU Has Now Lost Four of Six April 27, 2002 LONG BEACH, CA- UC Irvine (27-18, 8-3) for the second straight night showed why they can no longer be considered a first year program. The Anteaters, who returned to baseball for the first time since 1992, defeated No. 15-ranked Long Beach State (26-14, 8-3 BWC) 8-3, taking the series after winning the first two games from their interstate rivals. Long Beach State has lost four of their last six. Irvine got to starter Nate Beucler early, putting three runs on the board in the top of the first off of a two-run double from R.J. Brown and an RBI single from Jordan Szabo. The Beach would close to within 3-2 in the fourth off of a two-run double from Chris Wright. With the double, Wright moved to just three hits away from breaking Chuck Lopez's (1997-2001) record for career hits (245). Irvine scored three unanswered runs in the middle innings to take a 6-3 lead after six innings, scoring once in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Steve Guthrie's solo homer to lead off the sixth gave UCI a 4-2 lead and chased Beucler from the game. Beucler had retired 10 in a row before giving up a run the fifth. Beucler (2-2) pitched five innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits. UCI scored three runs in the ninth to lead 9-3 off an RBI single from Chris Miller, a passed ball and a wild pitch. The Beach committed four errors on the night, leading to three unearned runs. The Dirtbag pitchers walked five, uncorked one wild pitch and hit two batters. Reliever Keith Ralinaittis (1-1) picked up the win, relieving starter Brett Smith, and going the next 1.1 innings. Tim Hutting did extend his hit streak nine games, while 2B Nick Orlandos entered the game in the early innings. Orlandos had been nursing a hip flexor injury suffered last Sunday at Miami. Orlandos went 0-for-2 with an RBI. The finale of the three-game series is on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Blair Field. BOX SCORE | 
