UCI dropped

DAVIS — Evan Hudson delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth to break a tie and lead UC Davis to a 3-1 win over UC Irvine in a pitchers’ duel Friday at Dobbins Stadium.

The win dropped the Anteaters to 34-15 overall and 10-9 in the Big West Conference while UC Davis improved to 32-19 and 11-8.

Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision as both departed with the game tied at 1-1.

UC Irvine’s Scott Gorgen fired 6 2/3 innings, holding the Aggies to three hits while striking out two and yielding an earned run. Counterpart Eddie Gamboa went 7 1/3 innings, striking out four while scattering seven hits and giving up an unearned run.

The Anteaters got on the board in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead. Ollie Linton led off with a two-out single and stole second, his 35th of the season. Casey Stevenson hit a slow roller toward shortstop Matt Dempsey, who tried to bare-hand the ball in an attempt to get Stevenson and Linton rounded third and scored as Dempsey was unable to come up with the ball.

The Aggies knotted the score in the bottom of the sixth. Ryan Royster drew a leadoff walk and was pushed to third on a hit-and-run single off the bat of Ty Kelly. Sean Madigan threw a strike to home on Kyle Mihaylo’s fly-ball to right but Royster’s slide just beat the throw.

The Aggie rally in the eighth began with a pair of one-out singles from Kelly and Jake Jefferies off sophomore Daniel Bibona. Pitcher Christian Bergman entered the game and retired Mihaylo and walked Ryan Scoma to face Hudson, who flared a full-count pitch into left to drive in the eventual game-winning run.

Bibona fell to 6-3 after giving up two runs on two hits in 2/3 of an inning. UCI was paced by Linton and Stevenson, who had two hits apiece.

Aggie pitcher Andy Suiter picked up the win to improve to 5-1 after pitching a scoreless inning.

Justin Fitzgerald struck out the side in the Anteater ninth to pick up his 13th save.

Big West Conference

UC Davis 3, UC Irvine 1

SCORE BY INNINGS

Gorgen, Bibona (7), Bergman (8) and Lowenstein; Gamboa, Suiter (8), Fitzgerald (9). W – Suiter, 5-1. L – Bibona, 6-3. Sv. – Fitzgerald, 13. 2B – Tavelli (UCI), Mihaylo (UCD).