IRVINE, Calif. – Pinch-hitter Trip Dobson’s two-run single in the top of the eighth inning helped Louisiana forge a 4-4 tie, but No. 20-ranked UC Irvine scored three times in the bottom half of the frame to earn a 7-4 victory in the opening game of a three-game series on Friday at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark.
The series resumes on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT with the game streamed live on ESPN+. Fans in the Lafayette area can listen to the game on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app.
Louisiana (5-5) led early on Drew Markle’s solo home run in the first for a 1-0 lead before UC Irvine (6-3) countered with a two-run blast in the bottom half of the inning by Colin Yeaman…