Bardeen leads UCI to win

IRVINE — For the second time this week, Brock Bardeen had a key hit and gave No. 10-ranked UC Irvine a solid performance on the mound, helping the Anteaters to a 7-5 win Friday at Anteater Ballpark.

UCI climbed to 9-4 with the win while the Green Wave fell to10-6.

Trailing 3-0, UC Irvine put up a six-run sixth, keyed by a double from DJ Crumlich and capped by Bardeen’s second grand slam of the season.

Bardeen, who came in for relief of starter Daniel Bibona in the fifth, allowed one run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings to record the win and improve to 3-0. Bibona pitched 5 2/3 innings, striking out a season-high nine batters and holding Tulane to three runs (one earned) on five hits and walking three. Eric Pettis got UCI out of jam in the Tulane eighth and picked up his fourth save of the season after pitching 1 2/3 shutout innings.

The series continues today at 1 p.m.

Nonconference

UC Irvine 7. Tulane 5

SCORE BY INNINGS

Flynn, Claiborne (6), Griffin (7), Ponder (8) and Schaeffer; Bibona, Bardeen (6), Avison 8), Pettis (8) and Larson. W – Bardeen, 3-0. L – Caliborne, 1-1. Sv. – Pettis (4). 2B – Schaffer (T); Crumlich (UCI. 3B – Schaffer (T). HR – Honeck (T); Bardeen (UCI).