DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis sophomore
Jalen Smith finished with a pair of hits and stole his ninth base of the season, while freshman
Andrew LaCour scattered just four hits over four innings of relief, but visiting UC Irvine used a big six-run fifth inning to run away from the host Aggies en route to a 10-1 victory in the Big West Conference opener for both teams on Friday afternoon at Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium.
The Aggies fell to 5-10 overall and 0-1 in league play with the defeat, while the Anteaters evened their mark at 7-7 overall and 1-0 in conference.
Smith collected singles in the first and seventh innings, and was on base three times on the day, to help pace the UC Davis offense, which also received a single from
Kyler Arenado in the third and a double from
Michael Campagna — the latter setting up the Aggies run.
Three UCI hitters finished with three hits on the day as the Anteaters plated single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings, before breaking things wide open in the fifth, using seven hits in the frame to make it 9-0 after four-and-a-half.
After Irvine tacked on another in the sixth, UC Davis clawed one of the runs back in the home half as Connor Longrie's RBI ground out scored
Cooper Morrison, who walked to lead-off the inning and moved to third on Campagna's double into the left field corner. Morrison was on base three times on Friday, with the walk and twice hit by a pitch.
Entering in the sixth, LaCour stopped the bleeding on the mound, allowing just one run on four hits and striking out one in relief of starter
Jake Spillane (1-2), who went five innings, but suffered the loss.
Trenton Denholm (1-1) picked up the win for the Anteaters, allowing one run on three hits and striking out six over six innings as three UCI pitchers combined on the four-hitter.
The two teams continue their series with a doubleheader on Saturday (March 20) beginning at noon.
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Over 700 student-athletes across 25 intercollegiate athletics teams, following the addition of equestrian and women's beach volleyball in 2018, represent the fifth-ranked public school in the nation.
Centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and the Napa Valley, UC Davis is known nationwide as a leader in Title IX gender equity and leadership, ranks annually in the top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility and offers an unrivaled student-athlete experience that features the ideal combination of elite academics, Division I athletics and personal growth.
UC Davis is uncommonly committed to preparing student-athletes for life after graduation with Aggie EVO — an innovative student-athlete outcomes program that helps young women and men develop passions, gain real-world experience, and enjoy a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school. Through Aggie EVO, Intercollegiate Athletics provides unmatched resources and a vast network of working professionals to ensure post-graduation success for its student-athletes.
