May 22, 2009

Box Score

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --- Top-ranked UC Irvine put together a 10-run inning and went on to record an 11-7 win over UC Santa Barbara Friday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. The 10 runs were the most the Anteaters have scored in a single inning this season as the team improved to 42-12 overall and 21-1 in the Big West.

Jeff Cusick led the team with three RBI, batting 2 for 4 with a run scored. Casey Stevenson and Ronnie Shaeffer added two RBI and two hits apiece while Ryan Fisher, DJ Crumlich, Ben Orloff and Eric Deragisch all drove in a run.

The Gauchos took the early lead, plating a run on Brian Gump's RBI single in the third and then extended the margin to 3-1 lead in the fourth as Matt Valaika tagged starter Daniel Bibona for a two-run home run.

Stevenson's third home run of the season would tie the game for UCI in the top of the fourth at 1-1 and the Anteaters then took control of the game in the fifth, bringing 14 batters to the plate. After hitting Francis Larson with the pitch to lead off the inning, starter Mike Ford retired the next two batters. The right-hander then issued two walks to load the bases and hit Deragisch with the pitch to force in a run, cutting the lead to 3-2. Shaeffer followed with a two-run single up the middle, giving the team a 4-3 lead. A single by Stevenson extended the inning for Cusick, who blasted a three-run shot for a 7-3 advantage. The rally continued as Larson and Fisher followed with consecutive doubles. Crumlich singled in Fisher and crossed the plate on Orloff's single to right to cap the inning.

UC Santa Barbara rallied in the sixth, scoring three runs on doubles by Mark Haddow and Bryce Telfeski to cut the lead to 11-6. However, senior Matt Dufour entered in relief of Bibona and retired the next two batters to end the threat. Dufour yielded a hit to lead off the seventh and then retired six straight before he would give up a double to Gunnar Terhune in the bottom of the ninth. Dufour allowed a run on three hits in 3.2 innings and struck out four to earn his first save of the season.

Bibona picked up the win (11-1) after pitching 5.1 innings. The southpaw yielded a season-high six runs on eight hits and struck out nine while walking four in the effort.

Ford fell to 4-5 after giving up 10 runs in 4.2 innings and striking out six. The Gauchos were led by Valaika and Bryce Tefelski, who combined for four RBI.

The series Saturday continues at 1:00 p.m.

back to Anteaters Baseball home