DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis put in work down the home stretch on Saturday, scoring three runs in the eighth to take down Long Beach State 3-2 in come-from-behind fashion.
The triumph brings UC Davis' overall record to 14-22 on the season, 5-9 in the Big West. Junior Wyatt Tucker earned his first win of the year for the Aggies, bringing his record to 1-0. The loss for Long Beach State drops their 2019 mark to 8-32, 2-9 in the conference, as well as junior Nick Avila's record to 0-3.
UC Davis started freshman Jake Spillane on the bump, and he went seven innings, surrendering two runs, both of them earned, on seven hits, walking two and fanning four. The Aggies then turned to the bullpen, bringing in Tucker for the final two innings of the contest. Tucker allowed no runs on no hits, fanning three and walking one.
The two UC Davis pitchers worked their way through the Long Beach State lineup facing 34 hitters, retiring 12 via flyout. The Aggies did an excellent job limiting damage, pitching especially well with runners on base. They held Long Beach State to a clip of 1-for-9 in those situations.
Sophomore Tanner Murray led the way offensively for UC Davis, going 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Senior Cameron Briggs put together a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-3. Long Beach State's offense was led by freshman Chase Luttrell, who went 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI on the day.
Collectively, UC Davis pushed across their three runs on four hits, one of which went for extra bases. The Aggies improved on their attack by drawing two walks from Long Beach State pitchers.
The Aggies will take the field again Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., at Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium, for the final game of the series.
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
