March 14, 2004

Box Score

Two-run home runs by Grant Richardson and Zach Franklin were not enough for Washington State as the Cougars lost 12-4 to No. 18 California-Irvine in the Yellow Book Classic at Eddy D. Field. The loss was WSU's second in as many games at the tournament.

WSU starting pitcher Aaron Trolia (3-1) took the loss for the Cougars (11-5), giving up nine runs, six earned, and eight hits while recording just four outs. Garret Alwert allowed three more Anteater runs, all earned, while striking out six batters in 6.1 innings of work. Bradley Selinger finished up for WSU, throwing the ninth inning.

Chris Nicoll (3-0) earned the win for UCI (14-5-1), giving up three hits and two runs, all earned, in six innings.

After WSU spotted UCI nine runs in the first two innings, Franklin hit his first home run of the year in the bottom of the second inning to bring home Jeremy Farrar, who reached on a walk. In the eighth inning Richardson's third home run of the year scored Jason Freeman to close out WSU's scoring.

The Anteaters started the game with a six-run first inning that included a three-run home run by Jaime Martinez and run-scoring singles by Mark Wagner and Danny McCarthy.

UCI's three unearned runs in the second inning were fueled by Matt Fisher's double, a Cougar error, Danny McCarthy's triple and a passed ball. McCarthy had the only RBI of the inning when his three-base hit scored Mark Wagner.

The winners added a single run in the third when Brett Dalton doubled down the left field line with two outs and later scored on Fisher's single to right field, giving UCI a 10-2 advantage. Gary Dudrey scored for UCI in the fifth when he tripled and came home on another run-scoring single by Fisher. Fisher then hit his third home run of the year in the eighth.

WSU had a great opportunity to score in the fourth inning after Grant Richardson and Jeremy Farrar reached base on singles and Franklin drew a walk with two outs, but Zach McAngus' fly ball to right field was not deep enough and UCI was out of the inning.

WSU will take on host Pepperdine Monday, at 2:00 p.m., in its final game of the tournament.

UC-Irvine 631 010 010 12 14 0
WSU 020 000 020 4 4 2
Chris Nicoll, Michael Koehler (7), Blair Erickson (8), and Mark Wagner.
Aaron Trolia, Garrett Alwert (2), Bradley Selinger (9) and Zach Frankin.
W - Nicol (3-0). L - Trolia (3-1). HR - Fisher (3), Martinez (1), Richardson (3), Franklin (1).
T - 2:47. A -124.
UC-Irvine Hits - Dalton 2, Fisher 4, Anderson, Wagner, McCarthey 2, Johnson, Martinez, Dudrey 2.
WSU Hits - Hart, Richardson 2, Farrar, Franklin.
E - Richardson (1), McClure (4). 2B - Dalton (2), Fisher (6). 3B - McCarthy (1), Dudrey (1).