IRVINE— The California baseball team handed UC Irvine its first loss of the season in dominant fashion Saturday afternoon defeating the host Anteaters 11-2 at Anteater Ballpark in Irvine.
 
With the win the Golden Bears pull to an even 3-3 on the season while UCI drops to 5-1. Cal had its best offensive performance of the season with its most runs, biggest margin of victory, and most hits (15).
 
Senior Ethan Foley (1-0) earned his second straight Saturday start and made the most of his appearance going deeper than any Cal starter has this season. The right hander tossed five full innings to earn the win and allowed just two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out two.

In yesterday's series opener, catcher Hideki Prather swung on the first pitch of the game and sent a ball deep out to left field that was knocked down by the thick night air. Today Prather did the exact same thing but this time, with a 1 p.m. first pitch, the ball sailed clear over the wall to give Cal the lead. It was the first long ball of his collegiate career.

Two batters later, designated hitter Daniel Murillo roped his second triple of the series and was driven in on an RBI single by right fielder Kevin Jeon to double Cal's lead.

The Anteaters got one back in the bottom of the first, but the Bear bats got going again soon after hanging a pair of threes in the third and fourth innings to extend the lead to 8-2.

Prather led off the third inning with a double and Jacob French followed with a four-pitch walk. Once again it was Jeon collecting an RBI single to score Prather and French would score on the same play via an error by the UCI left fielder. Cade Campbell capped off the inning with a sac-fly to make it a 5-2 ballgame.

In the fourth Prather crushed a two-run shot to the same spot in left field and for the first time this season the Bears got back-to-back home runs as Jacob French soloed to right-center field for his first hit of the series.
 
After allowing a single run in the bottom of the third, Cal hung six straight zeroes on the board thanks in part to a tremendous outing by freshman Otto Espinzona. The rookie right hander earned a four-inning save with six strikeouts and did not allow a single hit.
 
Cal capped off the afternoon with three more runs in the top of the ninth to make the final score 11-2.
 
Five different Bears posted multi-hit efforts with Prather leading the way going 3-for-6 with three RBI. Campbell and Jeon both went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
 
The series will be decided in tomorrow's rubber match scheduled for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.
 
STAY POSTED
For coverage of Cal baseball, please follow the Bears on X (@CalBaseball), Instagram (@CalBaseball) and Facebook (/calbaseball).