LBSU Drops Big West Opener at No. 19 UC Irvine

Friday, April 5

Irvine, Calif.

6 p.m.

Long Beach State University

4-24, 0

UC Irvine

19-5, 0

Long Beach State

UC Irvine

Photo by: BaileyLeFever

4/5/2019 10:24:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Dirtbags trailed 4-0 after two innings and battled back to within a run, but a five-run sixth inning was too much to overcome in a 9-4 loss to UC Irvine in Long Beach State’s Big West opener.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

IRVINE, Calif. – The Dirtbags (4-24, 0-1 Big West) were able to battle back into the game on Friday night at Anteater Ballpark, but No. 19 UC Irvine (19-5, 3-1 Big West) pulled away with a five-run sixth inning to take the series opener.

Freshman Kaden Hogan led the way for the offense with a pair of doubles, an RBI, and two runs scored. Junior Jacob Hughey also pitched in a couple of base hits. Brooks Stotler was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run and he added a pair of stolen bases to tie his career high. Freshman Tyler Porter extended his hitting streak to four games with a fifth-inning double, and scored on an RBI double from Hogan. That fifth inning was LBSU's best offensively, as Calvin Estrada's two-out single drove in the second run to follow up back-to-back doubles by Porter and Hogan.

LBSU actually equaled UC Irvine with nine hits, but Anteaters hitters drew eight walks while Dirtbags batters did not work a single base on balls. It's the first time since Mar. 2 at Ole Miss that LBSU failed to walk in a game.

Sophomore Adam Seminaris allowed four runs in the first two frames, but settled down to put up three consecutive zeroes in innings 3-5. He allowed five hits and walked four while collecting three strikeouts. Alfredo Ruiz threw a scoreless inning in the seventh allowing just one walk and John Sheaks tossed a scoreless eighth inning with the help of a double play ball to work around two leadoff walks.

Game two of the series will be Saturday at 6 p.m., also on ESPN3. Long Beach State will send RHP Nick Avila (0-0, 6.43 ERA) to the mound to face RHP Tanner Brubaker (3-1, 2.25 ERA) for the Anteaters.