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Baseball:
No. 5 UC Irvine Upset by UC Riverside
April 20, 2008 IRVINE, Calif. --- The fifth-ranked Anteaters were upset by UC Riverside, losing 7-5 in the series finale Sunday at Anteater Ballpark. The loss dropped UCI to 6-6 in the Big West (24-9 overall) while the Highlanders improved to 11-23 (5-4 Big West) overall. It was the Anteaters' first series loss to an unranked opponent this season and the first time UCI has lost two straight games. Outfielder Dillon Bell staked UCI to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third with a solo home run but UC Riverside claimed the lead in the sixth with three runs on RBI singles from Joey Gonzalez and Ryan Goetz. UCI rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the frame on an RBI groundout from Jeff Cusick and a clutch single from Francis Larson. The Highlanders took a 7-3 lead in the top of the seventh, scoring on an error, a two-run triple from Goetz and a wild pitch. The Anteaters cut the lead to two on a sacrifice fly from Cusick and a run-scoring single from Larson to plate Aaron Lowenstein but reliever Rob Waite induced an inning-ending groundout to end the rally. UCR's Ryan Platt picked up the win pitching to improve to 2-2. Platt gave up two runs on three hits in an inning of relief. Joe Kelly collected his third save after retiring the Anteaters in order in the ninth. UCI's Christian Bergman fell to 4-2 after giving up four runs (three earned) on three hits in 1.1 innings. Starter Daniel Bibona yielded three runs (two earned) on six hits in 5.2 innings while closer Eric Pettis struck out three and walked one in two scoreless innings.
Larson and Bell both went 2 for 4 to lead the Anteaters.
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