IRVINE, Calif. — UC Irvine rallied for five runs in the seventh inning to defeat UTSA by a score of 7-3 on Friday night at Anteaters Park.
The Roadrunners (6-3) led through the first six innings of play, 3-2, before a costly seventh inning put the home team on top for good.
UTSA took the early lead plating a run in the third and another two in the sixth.
Mason George led off the third stanza and reached safely on an error by the Anteaters shortstop. Trent Bowles, who was making his season debut, doubled to right two batters later and an RBI single by Tyler Straub put the Roadrunners on the board.
The Anteaters (7-3) evened the score in the fourth and followed that with another run in the fifth to lead 2-1, but it wouldn’t hold for long.
In the sixth, a C.J. Pickering walk and Skyler Valentine double put runners in scoring position. Geonte Jackson then drove in the first run of the inning with a single through the left side that saw Pickering cross home. Jason Serchay, who pinch-hit for Ben Brookover, grounded out for another RBI to score Valentine.
However, that would be the last time the Roadrunners pushed a run across the plate.
UC Irvine capitalized on a throwing error in the seventh that led to a five-run inning and the series-opening win.
Right-hander Andre Shewcraft was charged with the loss in 2.1 innings in relief. Shewcraft allowed five runs on five hits but recorded four strikeouts.
His counterpart, Alonzo Garcia took the win in 1.1 innings of work. Garcia surrendered two hits and did not allow a run. In all, the Anteaters bullpen gave up two runs on five hits.
The series will conclude with a 2 p.m. (CT) doubleheader on Saturday.