Link: Irvine, Calif. –University of Nevada (8-11) designated hitter Brock Stassi broke a 4-4 tie with a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning to give the Wolf Pack a 5-4 victory over #10 UC Irvine (11-6) at Anteater Ballpark in Irvine, Calif. Saturday afternoon. The Wolf Pack improved to 8-11 on the season with the win while the Anteaters dropped to 11-6. The two squads have split the first two games of the series after UCI won 1-0 on Friday with one game remaining on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
With two down Stassi hit a 1-2 pitch from reliever Kyle Necke (0-1) over the right field fence for his second home run of the season. UCI had the tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth inning when the game ended.
UCI got a two-out RBI double from catcher Francis Larson to bring home shortstop Ben Orloff in the bottom of the first inning with the first run of the game. Larson was later thrown out at the plate on a single off the bat of right fielder Eric Deragisch to right field to keep it a one-run game.
The Pack tied the game with a single run in the top of the second inning. First baseman Shaun Kort earned a walk to start the inning and left fielder Nick Melino’s triple off the right center field wall tied the score. The next three Pack hitters were retired as Melino was left stranded at third base.
The Eaters took the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Deragisch scored on a ground out by second baseman Casey Stevenson. Nevada’s second run of the game scored in the sixth inning when Stassi doubled and crossed the plate on third baseman Nick Leid’s single to even the score at 2-2.
Nevada got a two-out double from catcher Travis Simas in the top of the eighth inning to move in front for the first time 4-2. Simas scored Stassi who singled and Melino after he drew a walk. UCI tied the game once again with two in the bottom of the eighth inning. Back-to-back singles by Stevenson and center fielder Cory Olson plated the runs to draw the Eaters even once again which setup the ninth-inning heroics by Stassi.
Sammy Miller (3-0) earned his third win of the season, all coming in relief pitching 1.1 innings of one-hit, shutout baseball. Necke (0-1) suffered the loss giving up the home run to Stassi.
Stassi (4-for-5,3R,RBI) finished with a game high four hits which tied his career-high. Simas topped the team with a game-high two RBI.
Orloff (2-for-3,R) and first baseman Jeff Cusik (2-for-4,R) had two hits each for UCI. Stevenson led the Eaters with two RBI.
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