Baayoun’s Quality Start Squandered in 4-0 Loss at No. 19 UC Irvine

Sunday, April 7

Irvine, Calif.

1 p.m.

Long Beach State University

4-26, 0

UC Irvine

21-5, 0

Long Beach State

UC Irvine

Photo by: CarlyMackler

Baayoun’s Quality Start Squandered in 4-0 Loss at No. 19 UC Irvine

4/7/2019 4:16:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Junior Zak Baayoun tossed six strong innings without allowing an earned run, but the Dirtbags offense couldn’t get untracked in a 4-0 loss at No. 19 UC Irvine on Sunday. LBSU managed just three singles in the ballgame.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

IRVINE, Calif. – Junior Zak Baayoun delivered a quality start for the Dirtbags (4-26, 0-3 Big West), not allowing an earned run in six innings of work, but the offense stayed cold in a 4-0 loss at No. 19 UC Irvine (21-5, 5-1 Big West) on Sunday afternoon.

Baayoun allowed a pair of unearned runs in the second inning, which stood as the only blemish on his afternoon. He ended that inning with one of his two strikeouts on the day to strand two Anteaters on base. His other strikeout came on the last pitch he threw to strand a pair of Anteaters in the bottom of the sixth inning. His effort follows a quality start from junior Nick Avila the day before.

Two of Long Beach State's three hits were by pinch hitters, as Chase Luttrell had a single off the bench in the eighth and Victor Carlino had a pinch-hit knock in the ninth. Laine Huffman had Long Beach State's first base hit, a single up the middle to start the fourth inning.

LBSU's best chance to score was in the eighth inning as Luke Rasmussen followed Luttrell's single with a walk to put two men on with no outs. However, UCI starter Trenton Denholm recovered to get back-to-back strikeouts before a Huffman lineout to third base ended the threat. UCI tossed consecutive complete games on the mound after Tanner Brubaker went the distance on Saturday. The Anteater bullpen pitched a total of 2.0 innings in the series.

Junior Dylan Spacke pitched the final two frames Sunday in relief of Baayoun and was touched up by back-to-back solo home runs with two outs in the seventh.

The Dirtbags will conclude their eight-game road trip on Tuesday at 6 p.m., taking on San Diego for the second time this season. LBSU will then host consecutive Big West series against CSUN and Cal Poly.