Baseball: Anteaters defeat Bruins

The UC Irvine baseball team earned its first win of the season with

a 6-4 nonconference triumph over UCLA at Anteater Ballpark Tuesday.

The Anteaters took a 1-0 lead when first baseman Matt Anderson scored

on a fielder’s choice by catcher Chris Miller.

The Bruins (0-1) answered with three runs in the third inning,

highlighted by outfielder Ben Francisco’s double that drove in third

baseman Kevin Conlin and second baseman Ryan Rasmussen.

UCI tied the score with two runs in the third, when Bruin starter

Chris Cordeiro’s balk allowed Anderson to score. Designated hitter R.J.

Brown hit a double to drive in Effren Trejo to round out the scoring in

the third inning.

UCI took the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh with a

bases-loaded single by Brown. Third baseman Steve Guthrie doubled to cap

the storing and put the Anteaters ahead, 6-3.

Starter Glen Swanson earned the win despite giving up three runs on

three hits. He struck out nine and retired the side in six of seven

innings.

Freshman Michael Koehler recorded his first save in a one-hit, one-run

performance over two innings. Koehler retired the side in order in the

ninth inning to preserve the win for UCI (1-3).

Bruin starter Cordeiro left after allowing three runs and four hits in

four innings, while reliever Kevin Jerkens recorded the loss.