Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. -- Visiting UC Irvine scored three runs in the sixth to break open a 3-3 tie, but host UC Davis had its chances, putting the tying runs on base late in the game on Saturday afternoon before falling to the Anteaters, 6-4, in the second of a three-game Big West Conference series at Dobbins Stadium.

The Aggies fell to 9-23 overall and 2-9 in Big West play with the loss, but still have a chance to take the series with a win in Sunday's finale. UC Irvine improved to 21-14 overall and 5-6 in conference play with the win, holding off a late rally to even-up the series at one game apiece.

After spotting the Anteaters three runs in the first four innings, UC Davis rallied back to tie it with a big fourth inning, getting a two-run double by freshman Logan Denholm to break up the shutout, and tie the score on a squeeze by Mason Novak that plated Denholm to make it 3-3. A lead-off double by Hooper and a walk to Cameron Olson set the stage for Denholm.

The score stayed that way until the decisive sixth inning when Irvine used some small ball to regain a lead it would not relinquish. A single by Jonathan Munoz and a one-out walk to Wyatt Castro put two on for Cole Kreuter who, with two outs, following with a big RBI single to right center to put UCI up 4-3. The Anteaters tacked on two more with a pair of perfectly executed delayed double steals as Castro and Kreuter both came home to make it 6-3.

Facing its second three-run deficit of the day, UC Davis inched closer with a run in the eighth -- an inning that could have been bigger had UC Irvine not turned a double play following a lead-off hit batter. Olson singled with two outs to extend his hitting streak to six games (tied for the longest by an Aggie this season) and scored all the way from first when Denholm, who finished 2-for-4, doubled to the gap in left center field to make it 6-4.

That forced the Anteaters to turn to their closer, Calvin Faucher, who was promptly greeted with a lined single to right field by David Langer to put the tying runs on base. Faucher wriggled off the hook, however, getting a ground ball to third that nipped Mason Novak at the bag to end the inning.

After Justin Mullins retired Irvine in order in the ninth, Faucher returned the favor in the home half, getting a strikeout and a pair of ground balls to end the game and lock up his sixth save of the year.

Miles Glazier (2-0) earned the win in relief for the Anteaters, allowing just two hits and striking out a pair of 2.1 innings of shutout baseball. Spencer Henderson (0-2) was charged with the loss, allowing four earned on nine hits and striking out five over 5.2 innings of work -- his longest outing of the season.

Langer and Justin Allen each added a pair of hits for the Aggies, the latter collecting the first two hits of his collegiate career with singles in the third and fifth innings. Four other UC Davis hitters collected hits as the Aggies reached double figures in that column for the second straight game and the 12th time this season.

Kreuter, Grant Palmer, and MItchell Holland, each added a pair of hits on the day for UC Irvine, which out-hit UC Davis, 11-10, for the game.

Game three of the series begins on Sunday (April 24) at 1 p.m. at Dobbins Stadium.

UC Irvine 6, UC Davis 4 (Apr 23, 2016 at Davis, Calif.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UC Irvine........... 100 203 000 - 6 11 0 (21-14, 5-6 BIG WEST)
UC Davis............ 000 300 010 - 4 10 2 (9-23, 2-9 BIG WEST)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UC Irvine - Bishop, Cameron; Glazier, Miles(5); Ritchey, Ben(7); Faucher, Calvin(8) and Reitano, Matt. UC Davis - Henderson, Spencer; Mullins, Justin (6) and Denholm, Logan.
Win-Glazier, Miles(2-0) Save-Faucher, Calvin(6) Loss- Henderson, Spencer (0-2) T-3:05 A-747
Weather: fluffy white clouds