Bardeen, Crumlich Lead UC Irvine to 5-4 Win Over Hawaii
Feb. 21, 2009
HONOLULU, HI --- Senior Brock Bardeen and freshman DJ Crumlich, making their respective debuts, were instrumental as UC Irvine improved to 3-0 with a 5-4 win against Hawaii (0-3) in the second game of the double-header Saturday at Les Murakami Stadium.
Bardeen, in his collegiate pitching debut, entered the game in relief of starter Crosby Slaught and went on to earn his first win after pitching 2.1 innings and holding the Rainbows to a run on two hits with two strikeouts.
Crumlich made the start at third base and paced the Anteaters with two RBI while hitting 1 for 2 at the plate with a run scored. Sean Madigan, Dillon Bell and Sammy Donabedian each recorded an RBI in the win.
Hawaii took its first lead of the series in the bottom of the first. Greg Garcia doubled to right and scored on Vinnie Catricala's single up the middle. Jeff Van Doornum laced a double to right to put runners on second and third for Kevin Macdonald who drove in two runs with a sharp single up the middle, giving Hawaii a 3-0 lead.
However, the Anteaters responded in the top of the second. Tony Asaro led off the rally with a two-out single and was pushed to second on a hit batsman. Crumlich jumped on an 0-1 pitch from Alex Capaul and singled in Asaro with a hit that bounced past a diving Catricala and Sammy Donabedian extended the inning with an RBI single to left. Madigan tied the game with a single to right to score Crumlich.
Asaro figured again in the UCI fourth. After drawing a leadoff walk and taking second on a sacrifice by Casey Stevenson, catcher Kevin Fujii's throw to second skipped into the outfield, allowing Asaro to take third and the senior beat the throw at home on a shallow fly ball to right by Crumlich.
The Rainbows threatened in the fourth, loading the bases with one out against Slaught, who was lifted for reliever Noel Avison. Garcia popped up Avison's first offering to short for the second out and the Anteaters turned to Bardeen to face Catricala. Catricala worked the count full but Bardeen induced a groundout to third to stifle the rally.
A Hawaii error by Garcia proved costly in the fifth. With Orloff on first, Jeff Cusick hit a ball to short but Garcia's throw to second sailed wide, allowing UCI to put runners on second and third. Bell bounced an 0-2 pitch back to the pitcher, allowing Orloff to cross the plate for the eventual game-winning run.
Hawaii narrowed the deficit to one at 5-4 in the fifth with a one-out triple by Christian Johnson but Bardeen retired the next two batters. After retiring the side in order in the sixth, Bardeen handed the ball to Pettis in the seventh. Hawaii led off the inning with back-to-back singles but Kevin Macdonald popped up to catcher Francis Larson and Johnson hit into a game-ending double-play as Pettis picked up his second save of the day.
Hawaii starter Alex Capaul fell to 0-1 after giving up four runs (three earned) on four hits in four innings. Van Doornum led the team, batting 3 for 4 with two runs scored while Macdonald drove in two runs.
The series concludes Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
