Below menace of elimination, UC Irvine‘s bats emerged once again.
Bringing the power for a second straight game, the Anteaters connected for five home runs Sunday, eliminating Arizona State 11-6 in the Los Angeles Regional of the NCAA baseball tournament.
Needing to win four straight games to advance to the super regionals after losing to Arizona State on Friday, UC Irvine is halfway to its goal.
Alonso Reyes — who had just one home run in 2025 entering Sunday’s recreation — ripped a two-run residence run off of Solar Devils starter Derek Schaefer within the fourth inning. Later within the inning, after Arizona State coach Willie Bloomquist went with Lucas Kelly out of the bullpen, Chase Name cleared the batter’s eye in useless middle discipline for a two-run residence run to provide the Anteaters a 6-1 lead.
“That’s kind of been the calling card from our offense really all year,” UC Irvine coach Ben Orloff stated. “There’s a little more swing and miss and strikeouts in there than we would like, but we got a lot of guys that can change again with one swing.”
UC Irvine took a 7-2 lead within the sixth when Name launched a changeup over the center of the plate from Solar Devils nearer Cole Carlon past the left-field wall.
Name’s two residence runs weren’t the one examples of the Anteaters’ energy on the plate.
UC Irvine star middle fielder Jacob McCombs linked for a no-doubt residence run (423 toes, 106.5 mph) for the second straight day within the third inning, lifting the ball over The Jack and Rhodine Gifford Hitting Facility in proper discipline. McCombs, an All-Large-West First Staff honoree, leaned again within the batter’s field after his residence run, taking time to admire his go-ahead blast.
Even when the Solar Devils threatened — scoring three within the sixth to make it a two-run recreation — James Castagnola replenished the lead with a two-run residence run within the seventh. UC Irvine pressured Carlon — who entered the sport with a 2.73 earned-run common — from the sport. He conceded a season-high 5 runs (4 earned) throughout 1⅓ innings.
A lot remains to be up for grabs for the Anteaters, however it should now require extra of the identical offense — and taking down UCLA twice (as soon as Sunday evening and on Monday) to increase their season. Fortunately for Orloff, he preserved most of his pitching workers because of redshirt sophomore left-hander Ryder Brooks’ begin.
The brother of former UCLA pitcher Jake Brooks made himself at residence at Jackie Robinson Stadium, tossing 5⅓ innings of five-run ball, giving up six hits, strolling 4 and placing out three with low-slot supply. It was Brooks’ longest begin since a complete-game shutout of Hawaii on April 19.
“I think all year long, it’s just one pitch at a time, trying to get a zero when our offense puts up runs,” Jacobs stated, including he didn’t “save the team” together with his begin. “Give it to the defense and the team, we were able to come away with a win. That’s big.”
However Orloff disagreed.
“I’m really proud of this guy with that start,” Orloff stated. “And we needed a long start to have a chance. We’re trying to manage this thing, not just to win the game in front of us, but we’re trying to win a regional. So that start that he gave us was huge.”
Orloff dipped into his bullpen for simply two reduction pitchers. Ricky Ojeda, the Large West Pitcher of the 12 months, tossed 1 ⅓ innings on 34 pitches. Over the past three days, Ojeda has thrown 74 pitches — and could be on just some hours relaxation if he pitches Sunday evening towards UCLA. The Anteaters cut up their midweek season sequence towards the Bruins earlier this yr.
