IRVINE, Calif. -- In spite of the effort from sophomore Tanner Murray, who went 1-for-3 with a triple and an RBI, UC Davis fell 10-2 to UC Irvine on Friday, May 17.
Murray became the third Aggie in Division I era history to record four triples in a single season, and is the first to do so since 2014 when Steven Patterson tied the Division I era school record. The Ben Lomond, Calif.-native's career total now resides at five, which ranks sixth on the Division I career top 10 list. Friday night's triple also marked Murray's third in the last week after he notched a pair against CSUN in the series opener and finale on May 10 and 12, respectively.
UC Davis drops to 19-27 on the year, 9-13 in conference play. Sophomore Brett Erwin took the loss for the Aggies. His record moves to 5-5 this season. UC Irvine, on the other hand, improves to 32-16, 13-6 in the conference. With the win, Junior Andre Pallante's 2019 mark advances to 9-4.
Erwin started on the mound for UC Davis and went six innings, giving up four runs, all of them earned, on five hits. The Aggies then went to the bullpen, bringing in freshman Jake Spillane to replace Erwin. Spillane threw one inning, giving up four runs and five hits, along with no walks and one strikeout before sophomore Nick Johnson took over. Johnson finished the game for UC Davis, allowing two runs on three hits.
In total, UC Davis pitchers gave up 10 runs, nine earned, on 13 hits, walking five and striking out one.
Murray led the way offensively for UC Davis. Senior Garret Kelly furnished a standout performance as well, going 1-for-4 with a triple. Junior Cooper Morrison also contributed, going 2-for-4. UC Irvine's offensive attack was led by junior Brandon Lewis, who went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs on the day.
Collectively, UC Davis scored two runs, but left opportunities on the board, stranding six throughout the game. Those two runs came on six hits, three of which went for extra bases. The Aggies supplemented their attack by drawing three walks from UC Irvine pitchers.
The Aggies and the Anteaters resume action tomorrow (May 18) at 6 p.m. PT at Cicerone Field in Irvine, Calif.
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.
