Box Scores:  Game One  I  Game Two

IRVINE, Calif. --- The No. 21 UC Irvine Anteaters scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally past the Portland Pilots 8-7 in the second game of a double header played on Saturday afternoon at Anteater Ballpark. The Anteaters also claimed the first game 3-1.
 
After trailing by three runs early, the Pilots (3-9) seemingly took control of the game with a four-run sixth inning before adding a run during each the seventh, eighth and ninth.  During that sixth inning, Cody Lenahan belted an RBI double, Caleb Whalen drilled an RBI triple into the corner and Beau Fraser and Jeff Melby added RBI singles to give the Pilots a 4-3 lead.
 
After the Anteaters (9-2) got a run back in the bottom of the sixth to tie it, Ben Grubb scored on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh inning, Whalen knocked in another run in the eighth and Lenahan added a run-scoring single in the ninth to allow Portland to take a 7-5 lead into the final frame.
 
But the Anteaters were able to draw a pair of walks, piece together a couple of hits and would eventually tie it on a two-run double by Jeff Stephens with nobody out. The next batter, Dominique Taylor, won it with a walk-off RBI single.
 
Portland starter Kurt Yinger pitched 7.0 innings before giving way to the bullpen. Yinger, a sophomore right-hander, allowed four runs on eight hits, while striking out two. Chad Kjemhus tossed a scoreless eighth inning before issuing a lead-off walk in the ninth. Billy Sahlinger (1-1) then took over and was charged with three of Irvine’s runs. The fourth went to Kjemhus.
 
Reliever Elliot Surrey (1-0) earns the win after recording the final two outs in the top of the ninth.
 
The Anteaters won a pitcher’s duel in the first game with all three Irvine runs coming in the bottom of the third inning. Taylor had a two-run triple during the third, while Ronnie Schaeffer added an RBI single which helped chase Portland freshman starter Zach Torson (0-3).
 
UP’s Matt McCallister would then toss 5.1 scoreless innings in relief.
 
The Pilots did pull within two runs in the fifth inning when Melby scored on a sacrifice fly by Grubb.
 
Matt Whitehouse (2-0) went the distance on the hill for the Anteaters, holding the Pilots to just three hits.
 
Portland did out-hit Irvine 13-11 in the second game.
 
The Pilots and Anteaters next conclude their four-game series on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. Portland opened the series with a 2-0 shutout win on Friday night.