UC Irvine wins and advances
UC Irvine used a three-run eighth inning Monday to secure a 9-6 victory over top-seeded Texas and earn its first berth to a Division I super regional.
A pair of errors proved to be the difference for the Longhorns (46-17), who were playing in front of a partisan crowd in Round Rock, Texas. After reaching on a fielding miscue by Texas first baseman Chance Wheeless, Bryan Petersen scored from first on Dillon Bell’s single when right fielder Kyle Russell overthrew third base. With two out, Tyler Vaughn delivered a two-run double to give UC Irvine (43-15-1) a 9-5 lead.
All three runs in the inning were unearned.
The Longhorns responded with a rally of their own in the ninth.
Anteaters closer Blair Erickson, who began the game 13 for 13 in save opportunities, recorded one out and surrendered a single, a double and two walks.
Coach Dave Serrano went to the Anteaters’ bullpen, and Wes Etheridge -- the winning pitcher Friday as a starter in Game 1 of the regional -- struck out Clay Van Hook before inducing Chais Fuller into a fielder’s choice for the final out.
The game picked up in the bottom of the seventh inning Monday after rain halted play Sunday night with the second-seeded Anteaters clinging to a 6-5 lead.
When Texas scored twice to take a 5-3 lead in the sixth on Sunday, Irvine battled back with Petersen’s run-scoring double, Jeff Cusick’s tying triple and a go-ahead groundout from Aaron Lowenstein.
In winning three consecutive games at the regional, Irvine had 33 hits, gave up only seven runs and committed no errors.
Cody Cipriano who drove in five runs in the three games, ripped a two-run double in the bottom of the third to give UC Irvine a 2-1 lead.
“There’s no pressure,” Cipriano said. “We’re just having fun, doing what we love to do.”
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The super regional between Cal State Fullerton and UCLA will take place at Fullerton and will begin Saturday, the NCAA announced Monday night.
UC Irvine will play at Wichita State, also beginning Saturday. Each super regional is a best-of-three series, with a spot in the College World Series going to the winner.
Game times have not been announced.
Times staff writer Peter Yoon contributed to this report.
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