Score: UC Davis 7, UC Irvine 3
Winning Pitcher: Noel Valdez (4-3)
Losing Pitcher: David Butler (1-3)
Location:Â Davis, Calif.
Records: UC Davis 16-17 (5-9), UC Irvine, 24-8 (12-2)
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The short story: UC Davis shocked the baseball world Saturday night, rallying for six runs in the eighth inning to defeat No. 13 UC Irvine and even the series against the Anteaters.Â
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FIRST PITCH
- Noel Valdez earned the win out of the bullpen for UC Davis, spearheading an Aggies staff that limited the Anteaters to their lowest run total during Big West play
- The right-hander worked four innings, allowing one run on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts
- Ned Frutchey started and went 4.1 innings, surrendering only two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out six
- The Aggies' offense was paced by Evan Gentil, who went 2-for-4 with two triples and an RBI
- Jason Hanson added a standout performance, finishing 2-for-2 with a double, two walks, and an RBI
- Matteo Blandino delivered the clutch hit of the night, driving in two runs during the eighth-inning rally
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UC Davis struck first, scratching across a run in the third inning when Gentil scored on an Anteater error to make it 1-0
- UC Irvine responded with three runs to take a 3-1 lead before the Aggies' explosive eighth
- The rally began with Alex Gouveia's RBI double, scoring Mark Wolbert to cut the deficit to 3-2
- Two batters later, Hanson tied the game with an RBI double, plating Gouveia
- Blandino then gave UC Davis the lead, lining a two-run single to right field for a 5-3 advantage
- The Aggies tacked on two more—one on Gentil's second triple of the game, another on a wild pitch—to extend the lead to 7-3
- UC Irvine threatened in the ninth, putting two runners on, but Valdez shut the door to seal the win
UP NEXT: The Aggies and Anteaters wrap up the series Sunday at 1 p.m., with
Matt Barnes II taking the mound for UC Davis.
