LOS ANGELES — In a striking display of power, Chase Call launched two of the five homers for UC Irvine, propelling the Anteaters to an 11-6 triumph over Arizona State on Sunday, thereby securing a spot in the final round of the Los Angeles Regional.
Adding to UC Irvine’s offensive tally, Alonso Reyes, Jacob McCombs, and James Castagnola also delivered home runs, showcasing the team’s formidable batting performance.
This victory improved UC Irvine’s record to 43-16 and positioned them to face off against UCLA later in the day. A win for UCLA in that matchup would clinch the home regional for the Bruins. However, should UC Irvine emerge victorious, it would necessitate a decisive game on Monday.
The game saw Call and Reyes each contributing timely two-run home runs during a robust fourth inning, giving the Anteaters a commanding 6-1 advantage.
Ryder Brooks started for UC Irvine with promising results, maintaining a 7-2 lead through the sixth before being relieved following a two-run double by Arizona State’s Brandon Compton. Ricky Ojeda took the mound in Brooks’s place, subsequently giving up an RBI double to Beckett Zavorek, which narrowed the score to 7-5. Brooks, however, was charged with five runs overall.
The Anteaters, unfazed by Arizona State’s comeback attempt, answered back dramatically in the seventh inning by adding four more runs to their lead, highlighted by a substantial two-run homer off the bat of Castagnola.
Brooks, now holding a record of 7-3, recorded the win for UC Irvine, with additional pitching support from Ojeda and David Utagawa, who together conceded only one run over 3 2/3 innings.
On the opposing side, Derek Schaefer started for the Sun Devils and was charged with five runs over his tenure of slightly more than three innings, leaving Arizona State with a season record of 36-24.