UCLA rallies to slip by Anteaters

MALIBU ? In the instant it took UCLA freshman Ryan Babineau’s first-pitch home run to disappear over the left-field fence, so too vanished UC Irvine’s short-lived lead in the opening game of the NCAA Malibu Regional Friday at Pepperdine University.

Also gone was the momentum created by a two-out, two-run Anteater rally just moments before in the top of the fifth inning.

UCI never recovered and the Bruins went on to claim a 3-2 victory that puts the Anteaters within one loss of elimination.

UCI (36-23) will try to prolong its regional experience today at 11 a.m. against Missouri (31-26). The Tigers fell to top-seeded Pepperdine, 3-2, on Friday.

UCLA junior right-hander Hector Ambriz held UCI hitless over the final four innings on the way to a complete-game four-hitter.

The Bruins (33-23), guided by former UCI Coach John Savage, broke the tie that Babineau forged when shortstop Brandon Crawford doubled to right-center field with two outs in the seventh to drive in fellow freshman Blair Dunlap.

Crawford’s second hit of the game capped a steady hit parade that forced UCI junior pitcher Justin Cassel to consistently work from the stretch. The Bruins banged out 11 hits, including three of the game’s four extra-base hits.

UCLA, which has now defeated UCI three times in 17 days, had at least one hit in all eight innings in which it batted. It was a walk, however, that allowed UCLA to open the scoring in the first inning.

Cassel opened what may be his final collegiate performance by walking Crawford on four pitches in the first inning. Crawford went to third on freshman Jermaine Curtis’ single, then scored easily on Chris Jensen’s sacrifice fly.

Neither team scored again until the fifth, when UCI sophomore Aaron Lowenstein singled with two outs and advanced on Danny McCarthy’s double into the gap in left-center.

Taylor Holiday followed with a walk and Ben Orloff, who had singled in his first two at-bats, lashed a ground ball to Curtis at third.

Curtis lunged in vain as the ball shot between his legs for a two-run error, igniting a wild celebration from the estimated 100 UCI rooters sitting behind the Anteaters’ dugout.

Cody Cipriano followed with a walk to load the bases for Jaime Martinez, who drove a one-hopper. UCLA second baseman Sean Smith scooped it cleanly and threw to first to end the threat.

Ambriz, who improved to 8-7 with his second complete game in 16 starts this season, allowed only one baserunner the final four innings. Other than the two-run fifth, UCI had only one runner advance past first.

Perhaps Ambriz’s greatest obstacle was Orloff’s first-inning single that struck him on the right (throwing) wrist.

“You could see the seams of the baseball [on his wrist],” Savage said. “But I knew if it wasn’t broken, Hector was going to stay in the ballgame.”

Savage said the home run by Babineau ? his sixth of the season ? was crucial to the victory.

“When [the Anteaters] got two runs to make it 2-1, I thought momentum had swung a bit,” Savage said. “Then Babineau hit the first pitch and all of a sudden it’s 2-2. I think that gave Hector a big lift, knowing that we were going to battle back. And we were right back in the ballgame.”

Serrano praised Cassel’s effort and said the difference was that UCLA got some clutch hits.

“That was two Friday-night starters going toe-to-toe,” Serrano said. “We had to scratch and claw for everything today. Hector threw a big good game, just like Justin did. It’s unfortunate that we came out on the short end.”