Stowell-led UCI edges Matadors

NORTHRIDGE — UC Irvine baseball coach Mike Gillespie stopped short of calling it luck that produced the lone run in the Anteaters’ 1-0 Big West Conference road win against Cal State Northridge Saturday.

But some might suggest that whatever mojo equity the No. 13-ranked ’Eaters had built up by working hard, living right and respecting the game, might have been cashed in during the making of this triumph.

Sophomore Bryce Stowell outlasted, if not outdueled, Matadors senior starter Phil Hann to earn the victory, which was nailed down with clutch relief work from sophomores Tom Calahan and Eric Pettis.

And, despite sending just two hitters more than the minimum to the plate, UCI (30-11, 8-6 in conference) maximized the second of its two scoring chances to stay within striking distance of the conference lead.

In perhaps the conference’s most hitter-friendly ballpark, Stowell and Hann matched zeroes until the UCI seventh.

Stowell, who struck out eight and allowed just two hits in 7 2/3 innings, stranded single runners in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings.

Meanwhile, a pair of double plays, including Ollie Linton being thrown out at the plate trying to score from third on Dillon Bell’s shallow flyout to right in the fourth inning, helped Hann frustrate the visitors.

But it was a double play that wasn’t made — after a perfectly executed hit-and-run to put runners on the corners — that proved pivotal in the Anteaters’ seventh-inning run.

Junior shortstop Ben Orloff, who had a 14-game hitting streak halted Friday, began a new one with a solid ground-ball single up the middle with one out in the seventh.

With Orloff running on a 1-2 pitch, requiring shortstop Jason Dabbs to vacate his position to cover second, Bell, who appeared to be fooled by an off-speed offering, flicked a soft liner onto the outfield grass, just beyond where Dabbs had been positioned. The fortuitously placed single allowed Orloff to advance to third with one out.

Gillespie, both base runners, and hitter Francis Larson huddled to discuss strategy, followed by another conference on the mound between Northridge Coach Steve Rousey and his players.

Rousey likely talked about getting a ground ball and turning two to get out of the inning, a reference that appeared prophetic when Larson sent a hard-hit bouncer toward second baseman Justin DeMarco. DeMarco fielded the ball and threw to Dabbs, who tagged second to get the force-out on Bell. But Dabbs, playing his first game in 42 days after recovering from a broken vertebra, double-clutched, before throwing on to first, allowing Larson to narrowly beat the throw.

Hann, who allowed four hits, struck out six and walked one, was removed with two outs in the eighth, after allowing Linton to single through the left side.

Stowell, who took a comebacker off the back of his left knee in the fifth that ricocheted to first baseman Ryan Fisher for an out, stayed in the game until issuing a two-out, eighth-inning walk that put runners on the corners. It was the third walk of the game for the right-hander, who had not allowed a runner to reach second base in the first seven innings.

A leadoff walk allowed Northridge (19-24, 5-12) to formulate a “rally” in the eighth. C.J. Belanger advanced to second on a balk and reached third on a sacrifice bunt.

Stowell, however, retired John Parham, who had singled in two of his three previous at-bats, on a foul pop to shallow left.

Larson, who leaped at the wall to haul in a long fly ball in the seventh, sprinted in, while Orloff retreated toward the line. Larson snagged the ball just after crossing into foul territory, then brushed against Orloff, before launching a strong throw to the plate to prevent Belanger from trying to score.

After a subsequent walk, Calahan, a left-hander, was summoned to face the hosts’ leading hitter, Richard Cates. Cates, who entered the game hitting .382 with a team-best 39 RBIs, was hitting .417 against left-handers when he stepped in against Calahan.

But Calahan induced a flyout to center, then accepted an enthusiastic high-five from Stowell, and others, upon reaching the dugout.

Pettis allowed a walk and a single with one out in the ninth, but retired the next two hitters to earn his 11th save.

“We got a great pitching performance,” Gillespie said. “Bryce was great, that was a big out that Calahan got for us, and Pettis made it interesting, but got the job done.”

It was the first shutout produced by UCI pitching in 28 games, after UCI pitchers blanked opponents in six of their first 13 games this season.

It was the first 1-0 game at Northridge since UC Riverside accomplished the feat on Feb. 24, 2006, a span of 64 games.

“In a game like this, the littlest thing could sway the outcome, so we were fortunate to come out on top today,” Stowell said. “My hat’s off to [Hann]. He pitched a great game. But I think [the win] is just a reflection of what we’re doing right now. The whole thing was pretty impressive to see.”

The teams meet in the series finale today at 1 p.m.

Big West Conference

UC Irvine 1, Cal State Northridge 0

SCORE BY INNINGS

Stowell, Calahan (8), Pettis (9) and Lowenstein; Hann, Quirarte (9) and Hannick. W – Stowell, 6-2. L – Hann, 3-5. Sv – Pettis (11).

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.