Lancers Battle #23 UCI in Midweek Tilt

Tuesday, March 5

Irvine, CA

6:00 PM

California Baptist University

8-5

#23 UC Irvine

10-0

California Baptist

UC Irvine

Lancers Battle #23 UCI in Midweek Tilt

3/5/2024 10:10:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Mariah Rodriguez, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications and Digital Media

IRVINE, CA--- The California Baptist baseball program traveled to Orange County on Tuesday evening for a midweek tilt against the #23 UC Irvine Anteaters (DI Baseball). It was a competitive match-up for the squads that saw UCI pull away with a 5-4 victory. The Lancers are now 8-5 on the season, while the 'Eaters improved their perfect record to 10-0.

UC Irvine entered this week ranked in four polls; coming in at #19 by Baseball America, #22 for Perfect Game USA, #22 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, and #23 for DI Baseball. The Anteaters also boasted a number five RPI spot after taking wins against San Diego, UCLA, and Michigan over the weekend.

It was a solid first two frames for both squads that had no hits between the two teams, courtesy of two strong starting pitchers. The bottom of the third inning was prosperous for the Anteaters however, as they converted five runs after starting the inning with three walks to load the bases. The Lancers answered in the top of the fourth with four runs of their own as a wild pitch from UCI allowed Cole Howarth to come home to put CBU on the board. Gunner Antillon picked up an RBI single for the second run before Michael Carpentier drove in the final two runs of the game with a single into left field.

Antillon 🤝 Carpentier

That's a four-run fourth inning!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/CqKwlgKsIJ
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 6, 2024

Defensively, the Lancers held strong through the final five innings of the game and had the opportunity to tie the evening to force extra innings in the top of the ninth. After Mitchel Simon singled to get himself on base and Josh Paino doubled to put the runners in scoring position, it came down to one final at-bat that went the Anteater's way.

Though a loss was added to CBU's record, the midweek tilt was an impressive showing for the Lancers and a confidence boost before Western Athletic Conference play starts. California Baptist will host Seattle University to begin their conference slate on Friday at 6 p.m. at Totman Stadium.