April 27, 2007

Box Score

IRVINE, Calif. - Junior first baseman Taylor Holiday and catcher Aaron Lowenstein each had four hits while UC Irvine roughed up the Aggie bullpen for eight runs in the final three innings to capture a 12-6 non-conference collegiate baseball win over UC Davis at Anteater Ballpark Friday evening.

The Aggies fall to 14-24 for the season. The Anteaters, who ranked 22nd in Monday's USA Today Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Poll, improve to 30-11-1 overall.

Infielders Brandon Oliver, Daniel Descalso and Evan Hudson each went 3-for-4 for UC Davis, which held a 6-4 lead entering the bottom of the sixth. With an RBI single in the third inning, Descalso extended his consecutive-game hitting streak to 13 outings. Additionally, the Aggie junior is hit safely in 25 of the past 26 games.

UC Irvine had five of its 18 total hits in a four-run first inning. Holiday and shortstop Ben Orloff led off the frame with a pair of singles, then senior second baseman Cody Cipriano cleared the bases with a triple to the right-center gap. Lowenstein and right fielder Bryan Petersen also had RBI singles in the inning.

The Aggies fought back in the third, scoring four runs of their own to craft a one-run lead. Descalso's RBI single was the third in a string of six straight UC Davis hits. Senior Aaron Hanke added a two-run triple to center, then junior first baseman Evan Hudson later plated Hanke on a go-ahead single. UC Davis nudged the lead to two runs as Brandon Oliver's fourth-inning bleeder to left allowed the Aggies to capitalize on a UCI passed ball.

The Anteaters tied the game in the sixth inning as Holiday's leadoff double sparked a two-run, three-hit rally. Cipriano singled to score Holiday, then Peterson sent a grounder through the right side to score Cipriano for the equalizer.

A double by Lowenstein and a triple by Ollie Linton highlighted a two-run seventh for UC Irvine, then Petersen's two-bagger down the right-field foul line launched a four-run Anteater eighth. Meanwhile, UCI righty Scott Gorgen settled down after his rocky start to hold the Aggies to four baserunners in the final five innings.

Junior Justin Fitzgerald, who surrendered Linton's RBI triple in the seventh, took the loss and dropped to 0-4. Gorgen improved to 8-2 for the season.

Aaron Hanke and shortstop Matt Dempsey each had two hits for the Aggies. Hudson had a couple of doubles among his three safeties, while Hanke and Descalso each finished with a pair of RBIs.

UC Davis and UC Irvine continue their series on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Trevor Fox, Justin Fitzgerald (6), Nik Aurora (7), Alex Diachenko (8) and Jacob Jefferies. Scott Gorgen and Aaron Lowenstein. Win - Gorgen, 8-2. Loss - Fitzgerald, 0-4. Save - none. Hitters - UC Davis: Matt Dempsey 2x5, Brandon Oliver 3x4, 2B, RBI; Daniel Descalso 3x4, 2 RBI; Aaron Hanke 2x5, 3B, 2 RBI; Evan Hudson 3x4, 2 2B, RBI. UCI: Taylor Holiday 4x5, 2B, 2 RBI; Ben Orloff 2x3, RBI; Cody Cipriano 2x4, 3B, 3 RBI; Bryan Petersen 3x5, 2B, 3 RBI; Tyler Vaughn 2x4, RBI; Aaron Lowenstein 4x5, 2B, RBI; Ollie Linton 2x5, 3B, RBI.