Eric Deragisch Clutch as No. 11 UC Irvine Defeats New Mexico 5-3
ALBUQUERQUE, NM. — Eric Deragisch drove in the game-tying and game-winning runs to lead No. 11 UC Irvine past New Mexico, 5-3, Friday at Isotope Park. The win lifted the Anteaters to 26-10 overall while the Lobos fell to 27-18 on the season.
Deragisch was 3 for 4 with two runs batted in while Francis Larson also drove in a pair of runs on 1 for 4 hitting. Ollie Linton paced the team, going 4 for 5 with three runs scored while Ben Orloff continued his hot hitting, batting 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored.
The Anteaters received a strong performance on the mound from junior ace Scott Gorgen, who tossed eight innings and struck out four while surrendering three runs (two earned) on six hits and walking one batter to improve to 8-2 overall. Closer Eric Pettis pitched a perfect ninth inning to register his conference-leading 10th save of the season.
UCI took a 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI double by Orloff and a sacrifice bunt by Francis Larson to plate the junior shortstop.
However, New Mexico capitalized on two Anteater errors in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 2-2. The Lobos claimed the 3-2 lead in the fifth on a run-scoring single to right by Ian Hollick.
UCI rallied to knot the score in the seventh. Ollie Linton came up with a two-out single and advanced to second on a balk by pitcher Bobby LaFramboise. Deragisch drove the ball up the middle to score Linton for the game-tying run.
It was Deragisch again in the top of the ninth as the third baseman came up clutch following back-to-back singles by Casey Stevenson and Linton. Larson recorded his 10th double to score Linton and cap the Anteater scoring at five runs.
LaFramboise struck out six and gave up three runs on 10 hits while walking one. Reliever Clinton Cox suffered his first loss, falling to 2-1after giving up two runs on five hits in two innings.
UC Davis 3 @ #18 CSF 5
Komatsu’s Bat, Kaplan’s Arm Carry Titans Over Aggies
Fullerton, Calif. – Erik Komatsu went 2-for-3 with three RBI to lead No. 15 Cal State Fullerton to a 5-3 win over Big West foe UC Davis Friday night in a conference game at Goodwin Field.
The first-place Titans helped themselves out with the win over second-place Davis and take advantage of Cal Poly’s win over second-place UC Santa Barbara as well. There is now a four-way tie for second place in conference with the Titans leading by 2.5 games. Fullerton improves to 25-14 overall and 10-3 in Big West action. UC Davis falls to 25-14, 6-4.
Jeff Kaplan improved to 7-1 with his eight-inning performance Friday night, surrendering just two runs while striking out eight. The only bump in the road for Kaplan was a two-run home run off the bat of Aggie third baseman Ty Kelly in the fifth inning. It was Kelly’s fourth round-tripper of the season, and it brought home Ryan Royster who doubled a batter earlier.
Fullerton plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the third off Davis starter and eventual losing pitcher Eddie Gamboa (6-2). Gary Brown led off the frame with a sharp single to left and was followed by a sacrifice attempt by Josh Fellhauer that rolled fair all the way down the line untouched for a single. Christian Colon continued the small-ball and sacrificed Brown and Fellhauer up 90 feet, to set up a sacrifice fly by Komatsu, and an RBI single to left-center by Corey Jones.
After Kelly’s long-ball tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth, Fullerton came right back with two more off Gamboa, courtesy of Komastu’s single that brought home Brown, who singled, and Fellhauer, aboard on an error. The two-run knock gave Fullerton a 4-2 lead.
Fullerton picked up its fifth run of the night just ahead of the third out of the eighth inning off new reliever Andy Suiter. With one out and Komatsu on third (single, sac, stolen base) and Jared Clark at first (intentional walk), pinch hitter Khris Davis struck out with Clark getting caught in a rundown between first and second. Komatsu scurried home without a throw before Clark was tagged out retreating to first base.
Gamboa suffered the loss despite holding the nationally ranked Titans to four runs (three earned) on eight hits over seven innings of work. The righty struck out five and did not issue a walk. Suiter gave up one run on one hit, walked one and struck out one in his lone inning of work.
Kaplan, who tossed over 120 pitches on the night, gave way to Adam Jorgenson in the bottom of the ninth. Jorgenson got two quick outs before Kelly doubled for his third hit of the night to extend Davis’ inning. A Jorgenson breaking ball got that away from catcher Dustin Garneau allowed Kelly to move to third and a second wild pitch on a swinging third strike scored Kelly and allowed the hitter Jake Jeffries to get to first safely. Jorgenson induced the game-ending fly-out to center three hours and eight minutes after the first pitch and notched his fifth save of the year. Jorgenson finished with two strikeouts.
Pacific 3 @ LBSU 10
Espinosa Bashes Tigers on 21st Birthday
LONG BEACH– Danny Espinosa turned 21 and went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and two walks as No. 25-ranked Long Beach State (24-15, 6-4 Big West) won the series opener over visiting Pacific (8-29, 2-11 Big West) 10-3.
The Dirtbags scored in each of the first four innings and Andrew Liebel (5-2) pitched into the seventh for the 16th-straight start, giving up three runs on five hits, while striking out six. Liebel, who became a starter at Pacific on April 27, 2007, has reached the seventh in each of his 16 career starts, going 9-3, after 54 career relief appearances.
LBSU led 8-1 after four innings paced by five extra base hits and five walks. Shane Peterson hit his sixth home run of the season, a three-run homer in the fourth to chase starter Tyler Waldron (2-5) from the game, and Jason Tweedy went 3-for-4 with three RBIs.
A two-run, two-out single by TJ Mittelstaedt gave LBSU a 2-0 lead in the first. In the second, Jason Tweedy scored following a leadoff triple, before an RBI single by Tinoco made it 4-0. Espinosa’s triple to lead off the third inning, was the 10th in his career, tying him for fifth all-time, as he scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1.
Peterson’s homer in the fourth chased Waldron from the game and made it 8-1, as Waldron walked five over 3.1 innings, giving up six hits, and four for extra bases. The Pacific staff walked 10 on the night.
Catcher Travis Howell threw out two would-be base stealers in the game, giving him 14 on the season in 25 attempts.
CS Northridge 0 @ UC Riverside 3
Matadors Drop Series Opener, 3-0 to UC Riverside
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Cal State Northridge (16-21, 4-9) kept it close throughout but ultimately fell short on the offensive end, notching six hits but failing to push a run across. UC Riverside (12-24, 6-4) starter Paul Applebee earned the win behind seven scoreless innings.
Northridge got in an early hole. The Highlanders loaded the bases with no outs after two Tate walks, and they ultimately scored two runs in the inning. Tate induced a shallow fly to Billy Swasnon in right for out number one but a sac fly and a single brought home the pair.
Things settled down considerably after that frame with both satrters tossing dueling shutout frames.
A scary moment came in the third when Swanson attempted a bunt against Applebee. The ball ricocheted off his bat and struck his face, sending Swanson to the dirt. After being checked out by the trainer, Swanson continued his at bat with a bruise and a swollen right cheek. He would srike out swinging.
Northridge first threatened in the third when Reed smacked a single and stole second. He would be stranded after back-to-back strikeouts. Another Matador would next reach second in the eighth when consecutive singles gave Northridge a scoring opportunity with no outs. The Matadors went wanting in the frame.
Tate, meanwhile, was dealing through the seventh. From the middle of the third to the middle of the sixth, the sophomore right-hander retired ten consecutive men, joining Phil Hann and Jimmy Jolicoeur as Matadors to accomplish the feat this season. Hann has done it twice in his senior campaign.
Hann would hand off to Billy Ott in the eighth, and the reliever let one in despite pitching effectively. Joey Gonzalez poked a seing-eye single through the left side and advanced on a single into right field on the ensuing at bat and scored on a strange play that went as a stolen base. Northridge catcher Chris Hannick caught Riverside runner Aaron Wible wandering off first and attempted to gun him down on the basepaths Hannick’s throw wasn’t handled cleanly at second and Gonzalez slipped in on the miscue.
The score would prove lasting and went as the final. Northridge put a man on in the ninth but stranded him.
UCSB 2 @ Cal Poly 3
Suicide Squeeze Bunt by Lee Lifts Mustangs over UCSB, 3-2
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Ryan Lee’s suicide squeeze bunt with one out in the ninth inning scored Brent Morel from third base and lifted Cal Poly to a 3-2 victory over UC Santa Barbara in the opener of a three-game Big West Conference baseball series Friday night before 1,046 in Baggett Stadium.
With the score tied at 2-2, Morel opened the bottom of the ninth with a double down the left-field line, extending his hitting streak to 15 games, and took third on Wes Dorrell’s grounder to the right side of the Gaucho infield. On a 1-1 pitch, Lee bunted up the first-base line with Morel running and he scored with the winning run as Lee reached first base without a throw for the game-winning hit.
Cal Poly has won nine of its last 12 games to move to 18-20 on the year and 6-7 in Big West games. UC Santa Barbara fell to 27-13 and 6-4.
Junior right-hander Eric Massingham pitched 8 1/3 innings, giving up two runs and seven hits with three walks and one strikeout. But he was lifted in the ninth after giving up a leadoff single to Mike Zuanich, a sacrifice bunt by Shane Carlson and an intentional walk to John DeAlba.
DJ Mauldin, a sophomore right-hander, was summoned from the bullpen and induced Patrick Rose to strikeout and Chris McMurray to ground out, ending the Gaucho rally.
The suicide squeeze bunt by Lee made Mauldin (4-4) the winner.
The loss went to right-hander Mike Ford (5-3), who went the distance and allowed three runs and six hits in 8 1/3 innings with three walks and five strikeouts.
The Gauchos scored twice in the fifth inning for a 2-0 lead. With one out, McMurray and Steve Cook reached base on infield singles. Brian Gump singled to right field, scoring McMurray. Gump was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double, but Cook scored on a single up the middle by Chris Fox.
Cal Poly countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh. Dorrell doubled down the right-field line with one out and, another out later, Adam Melker drew a walk. Sophomore shortstop Kyle Smith doubled to the wall in right-center field, scoring both Dorrell and Melker.
Both teams were retired in order in the eighth.
UC Santa Barbara outhit Cal Poly 7-6, led by Fox with two singles. Lee singled twice for Cal Poly. All seven Gaucho hits were singles while Cal Poly collected three doubles among its six hits.
