UCI Pitches Pepperdine a Huge Loss

The UC Irvine Baseball Team defeated the Pepperdine Waves Tuesday, May 3 in a nonconference game at Anteater Ballpark.
This game, which was supposed to have been played earlier in the season, was rescheduled on account of the weather.
UCI improved their overall record to 24-16 as they pulled a win out of the game, 20-5, which is a season high for the Anteaters.
UCI is currently tied for fourth place in the Big West with an overall BW record of 6-6.
The Waves, coming into the game with a 27-17 record, must have underestimated the Anteaters.
UCI’s starting pitcher, senior Jimmy Alstot, pitched an amazing game, as he held Pepperdine off for the first inning and improved his personal record, 1-1, against the Pepperdine lineup.
The Anteaters aggressively took charge against the Waves’ pitcher Jason Dominguez, as the Anteaters produced two runs by the end of the first, one of which was the result of freshman center fielder Ollie Linton who stole his way around the diamond.
Linton set the pace for the Anteaters with the first run of the evening.
At the top of the second inning Pepperdine’s prayers went unanswered as the Waves failed to produce any runs.
Pepperdine’s fans and alumni were quiet as the teams switched places, and UCI initiated what seemed to be one the best innings that they’ve played.
UCI gave a more intense effort in the second inning than in the first as the Anteaters produced nine additional runs by the bottom of the second, forcing Dominguez to retire from the mound after allowing 10 runs from six hits and walking three players.
The third inning yielded similar results, as Pepperdine again could not pull off a run.
Their anguish forced the team to tighten up and refocus.
UCI managed to get one run by the bottom of the third.
In the fourth inning Pepperdine managed to bring two men around the diamond and to home plate.
The game was now 2-11, UCI.
UCI, a little rattled by the Waves’ defense, didn’t bring any runs in, although they did attempt to respond after Pepperdine brought two in.
The fifth and sixth innings were hard on Pepperdine, which only had a two-run advantage in the sixth, after again laying dormant in the fifth inning.
The Waves inability to compete with UCI’s fervor allowed the Anteaters to pull even further ahead in the game.
Four runs in both innings brought the score to 4-19.
After two innings of embarrassment, Pepperdine resolved to hold the Anteaters off and tighten their grip on the game.
Although the Waves did not produce a single run in the inning, they succeeded in holding UCI off for a a brief moment.
The eighth inning gave both teams one more run, bringing the game to a 20-5 difference, and remained the same throughout the ninth inning.
Aside from the victory, UCI also walked away with some personal and individual achievements.
Junior first baseman Jaime Martinez and sophomore second baseman Cody Cipriano walked away with four RBIs apiece. Dalton had a career-high of five hits out of the six times he went up to bat.
Junior catcher Mark Wagner felt that ‘the whole team played incredibly well. The way we’ve been practicing, everybody picked up their own part in the game.’
Junior pinch hitter Gary Dudrey also said, ‘Everyone contributed to the win. Out hitting was unbelievable. It was a good day for baseball.’
UCI’s next home game will be against UCLA on May 10.