UC Irvine defeated Cal Poly in a 3-1 pitcher’s duel at Baggett Stadium Friday night.
Cal Poly starting pitcher Matt Leonard threw 133 pitches over eight innings surrendering nine hits and two runs. In the other dugout, UC Irvine senior All-American Daniel Bibona was not to be outdone on this night as he also pitched eight innings giving up five hits and one run. He threw 108 pitches on the night and improved to 9-2 on the year.
The Anteaters jumped on Leonard in the first taking an early lead. Center fielder Sean Madigan led off the game with a double down the right-field line, which eluded the diving attempt of Cal Poly right fielder Bobby Crocker. On the next pitch, second baseman Casey Stevenson lined a single to right-center to score Madigan and give UC Irvine a 1-0 lead.
Following two scoreless innings, the Mustangs were able to even the score at one in the bottom of the fourth. Left fielder Luke Yoder singled to left to begin the inning — the first hit of the game for Cal Poly. After being sacrficed to second and then stealing third, Yoder came home on freshman designated hitter Mitch Haniger’s bloop single to right.
Leonard has allowed only one run all game until, he surrendered the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh. He gave up a lead-off double
to shortstop D.J. Crumlich to begin the inning. Madigan then drove home Crumlich with a line-drive double to right after failing on two bunt attempts to give UC Irvine a 2-1 lead. Threatening for more, third baseman Evan Busby saved a run with a diving stop on a sharp groundball down the line by UC Irvine third baseman Brian Hernandez with one out to keep the deficit at one.
The Anteaters added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Reliever Frankie Reed came on for the Mustangs and gave up a walk to catcher Francis Larson to begin the frame. Following a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, Stevenson lined a single to center for his second RBI of the game as Larson just beat the throw by center fielder Adam Melker.
Sunday starter Eric Pettis came on for UC Irvine to pick up his fifth save for the Anteaters.
Game two of the series will be tomorrow at Baggett Stadium beginning at 6:05 p.m. with right-hander D.J. Mauldin pitching for the Mustangs and Christian Bergman for the Anteaters. Game three will be televised nationally on ESPNU, beginning at 2 p.m.
