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UC Irvine still six outs away

ROUND ROCK, Texas — Postseason for the UC Irvine baseball team was extended Sunday night, but not exactly the way the Anteaters had in mind.

Game 6 of the NCAA Regional at Dell Diamond was suspended after an 84-minute rain delay with the Anteaters leading, 6-5, in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The game will be resumed from that point, today at 11 a.m.

If the Anteaters win, they will advance to the Super Regional against either Wichita State or Arizona, the only two teams left competing in the Wichita Regional.

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Should Texas rally and win, Game 7 of the regional would be played one hour after the conclusion of the Texas victory. The winner of Game 7 would then capture the regional crown and advance.

The extension of the series would appear to help Texas (46-16) more than UCI (42-15-1), since the Longhorns, the No. 4 national seed that fell, 3-1, to Irvine Saturday night, endured more stress on its pitching staff. Texas had to win a 12-inning elimination game earlier Sunday against Wake Forest.

Texas senior reliever Joseph Krebs, making his fourth appearance in four regional games over three days, was on the mound for the Longhorns when umpires, with advisement from NCAA officials, elected to stop the game with rain and lightning closing in on the ballpark at 6:22 p.m.

Krebs, who threw five innings Sunday against Wake Forest, got the final two outs of the Irvine sixth. Krebs has thrown 10 1/3 innings in the regional, during which he has allowed three runs and seven hits, while striking out 13.

Texas closer Randy Boone was also likely happy about an extra 15-plus hours of rest for his pitching arm. He had appeared in his team’s first three regional games, striking out seven and allowing only one run in five innings.

UCI was on its third pitcher Sunday, as freshman Eric Pettis worked into the sixth, before senior Dylan Axelrod took over. Axelrod gave up a two-run double that allowed the Longhorns to take a 5-3 lead, but struck out Travis Tucker to end the inning.

Axelrod recorded the first two outs of the seventh, before giving up a single and exiting in favor of freshman Tom Calahan.

Axelrod, however, became the pitcher record when UCI scored three in the sixth to regain the lead.

Calahan walked the first hitter he faced, but ended the Texas seventh inning on a pop to third baseman Tyler Vaughn.

Neither UCI Coach Dave Serrano, nor Anteater players were available to the media after the game was suspended. So, it remains unclear what pitching plan the Anteaters will use when play is resumed.

UCI had planned to save Wes Etheridge, who pitched eight shutout innings to earn the regional-opening win over Wake Forest Friday night, for a potential Game 7.

But, with the extra day, Scott Gorgen, who threw a complete-game five-hitter in the 3-1 win over Texas Saturday, may also be available.

Senior closer Blair Erickson, the NCAA career saves leader with 53, has yet to pitch in the postseason, so he, too, is fresh.

UCI hitters, meanwhile, will hope to pick up where they left off in a game that had 19 combined hits (eight by the ‘Eaters, the designated home team).

UCI had three hits in a three-run third inning that began with a one-out Tyler Vaughn single. Taylor Holiday followed with a single and Ben Orloff walked to load the bases against Texas starter Austin Wood, who was called upon to pitch the last inning to save the Sunday win over Wake Forest.

Cody Cipriano laced a double into the left-center-field gap to drive in two.

After Keith Shinaberry replaced Wood, Matt Morris laid down a successful squeeze bunt to score Orloff from third and give UCI a 3-1 lead.

A two-run double by pinch-hitter Josh Prince erased that lead in the Texas fourth, and the Longhorns gained a 5-3 advantage on catcher Brett Lewis’ two-run opposite-field double into the right-field corner in the sixth. Lewis was one for 16 in the regional before coming through in that at-bat.

Cipriano doubled to open the UCI sixth, but was caught trying to advance to third on Morris’ ground ball to the shortstop.

Bryan Petersen rendered the base-running miscue moot by doubling over the left-fielder’s head, allowing Morris to score all the way from first.

Jeff Cusick’s drive got past a diving attempt by the Texas center fielder for an RBI triple. After Ollie Linton was hit by a pitch and stole second, Aaron Lowenstein drove in a run with a groundout to second.

With Vaughn at the plate, Linton was out trying to steal home to end the inning.

“Some things are beyond our control and the weather is obviously one of them,” Texas Coach Augie Garrido said in a postgame statement.


BARRY FAULKER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].

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