College Baseball: UCI tops UCSB in ninth

Host UC Irvine scored the winning run in the ninth on an errant throw to home plate after a ground ball to third base with the bases loaded in the Big West Conference baseball game Saturday.

Evan Cassolato singled to open the ninth and advanced on John Brontsema’s sacrifice bunt. Keston Hiura was intentionally walked and Mitchell Holland was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Adam Alcantara.

Alcantara hit a sharp ground ball to third, which was fielded with a diving stop by JJ Muno. But Muno threw wide to the plate, allowing UCI to even the series, which concludes Sunday.

Cassolato, Alcantara, Brontsema and Holland all had two hits apiece, while Cole Kreuter drove in two runs for UCI (29-23, 9-11 in conference).

Calvin Faucher worked a scoreless ninth to get the win, after Alfonzo Garcia allowed two earned runs on seven hits in eight innings.