Feb. 23, 2013

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Box Score

The Cal baseball team split a doubleheader Saturday (Feb. 23) at No. 25-ranked UC Irvine, defeating the Anteaters, 8-6, in game one; before falling 4-3 in 10 innings in game two. The Golden Bears are now 4-3 on the year, and will next play UCI in the fourth game of the series, Sunday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. The Anteaters had won game one of the series Friday night, 5-3.

Junior right fielder Jacob Wark has been outstanding for David Esquer's squad, hitting a key RBI double in the first game of the doubleheader after hitting two triples Friday night. Wark had given Cal a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th inning in game two of the doubleheader with a sacrifice fly, but the Bears yielded two runs in the bottom of the 10th to the Anteaters, including the game-winning run on a bases loaded walk to UCI shortstop Chris Rabago by Cal reliever Michael Lowden.

So far in the series, Wark is 4-for-13 with a double, two triples and five RBI.

The Bears won the first contest behind a four-run ninth inning. Sophomore shortstop Chris Paul and Wark had clutch two-run doubles in the ninth, while freshman closer Ryan Mason earned his second win in relief.

Junior designated hitter Devon Rodriguez led Cal at the plate in the early game, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Mason pitched 2.1 innings with four hits, two runs, no walks and two strikeouts to improve to 2-0 with six strikeouts in 5.0 innings of relief.

In game two, junior catcher Andrew Knapp and freshman left fielder Devin Pearson were the top hitters. Knapp was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI, while Pearson, enjoying his first collegiate start, was 2-for-3 with a double.

The losing pitcher for the Bears in the second game was senior reliever Logan Scott, who unfortunately lost after a stellar outing, striking out five batters with no walks in 5.0 innings, but giving up two runs on four hits.