College Roundup: Sparks keys exhibition win

BASEBALL

UC Irvine 3, Japan Railroad 2

IRVINE — Taylor Sparks hit a walk-off home run over the left-field wall in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Anteaters in an exhibition game Tuesday.

Sparks, facing southpaw Hirotaka Suzuki with one out, jumped on a 1-0 pitch and hit the scoreboard for his first home run of the season. The freshman also figured in the scoring for UCI in the fourth with a two-out RBI double off reliever Isoroku Yumoto and finished the day two for four with two RBIs and a run scored.

Nick Hoover earned the win in the exhibition game after retiring the final two batters in the ninth in relief of Josh Derry.

Japan Railroad is an industrial-league team from Japan.

UCI retuns to action Friday when it begins play in the Baylor Tournament. The Anteters face Lamar Friday at 2 p.m. They play against Baylor afterward.

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MEN’S TENNIS

Rice 6, UC Irvine 1

SAN DIEGO — Fabian Matthews won at No. 1 singles for the Anteaters in the nonconference match that took took place at a neutral site, San Diego State Tennis Stadium Tuesdy.

Matthews, a Corona del Mar product and the No. 73rd-ranked player in the nation, continued his run of four straight singles wins.

UCI plays host to Santa Clara Friday at 1 p.m.

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MEN’S GOLF

North Ranch Intercollegiate

WESTLAKE VILLAGE — UC Irvine finished 13th Tuesday at North Ranch Country Club.

San Diego State won the tournament with a 54-hole total of 864. UCI finished with a three-round score of 929.

Matt Hoffenberg of San Diego State was medalist with a two-over total of 212, two shots ahead of teammate Alex Kang.

Sophomore Allan Jun led UCI with a 16th-place finish of 221 after he tied for low round of the day Tuesday with a one-under par 69.

Pete Fernandez shot a 76 in the final round to place 50th at 235 while Michael Yang finished 56th at 237 after shooting 79 in his third round.

Mickey Chan (78) finished 61st at 239 and Bhuvan Potluri (77) was 62nd at 240.

UCI returns to action March 5-6 in the Fresno State Lexus Classic at Fort Washington Country Club in Fresno.