In their final home game of the month, the Bruins suffered their worst defeat at Jackie Robinson Stadium all season.

No. 22 UCLA baseball (21-11-1, 8-5-1 Pac-12) lost to UC Irvine (22-11, 7-8 Big West) by a final score of 12-4, the largest margin of defeat in a home game this season. Coach John Savage said the Anteaters were dominant across all phases of the game.

“They thoroughly outplayed us,” Savage said. “They made a lot more pitches on the mound. Their bats were better than ours. They played better defense than us. They got us pretty good.”

Sophomore left-hander Ethan Flanagan made his first start and fourth appearance of the season after missing the beginning of the year because of an injury. In the first inning, the southpaw secured a strikeout and managed to keep a clean sheet despite having a runner on third for a majority of the frame.

Throwing 46 pitches on the night across three innings, Flanagan had his longest outing for the team since returning from injury. Despite the loss, Flanagan said he was looking forward to developing himself for the remainder of the season.

“It was nice being back in that starting role and being able to work on a routine,” Flanagan said. “I didn’t pitch my best, but it’s nice to build off being a starter and just go from there.”

Stealing three bases across the second inning, UCI took advantage of a sacrifice fly from outfielder Luke Spillane to score the first run of the contest. The Anteaters would also notch another run in the fourth after a bases-loaded walk.

Offensively, UCLA was unable to get much going through the first four innings, mustering three hits and no runs across the opening frames.

The contest’s turning point came at the top of the fifth inning. A series of singles sprayed across the diamond from the Anteaters alongside a wild pitch and a passed ball put runners into scoring position. In the fifth frame alone, the Bruins conceded eight runs, the most in a single inning all season. The most significant strike would be a bases-clearing double down the left-field line.

“We just could not put a stop to it, and they got eight out of it,” Savage said. “It’s not really errors, it’s just plays not being made. That’s been the story of our season, really.”

Across the fifth inning, UCLA saw three different pitchers attempt to quiet UCI’s bats. Junior Caedon Kottinger was the third and final choice brought out from the bullpen to weather the storm. The right-hander was able to secure the two outs required to bring his team out of the inning on a double play.

In his next appearance on the mound the following inning, Kottinger struck out all three of his targets.

“My motivation is the team, truthfully,” Kottinger said. “We all have focal points when we get to a yellow or red light, and mine is definitely looking at the dugout. Looking at your guys pumps you up to fight for your brothers.”

UCLA was able to string together some runs on offense in the wake of the top of the fifth, scoring two in the bottom of that same inning after a sacrifice fly from sophomore infielder Duce Gourson and an RBI groundout from junior third baseman Kyle Karros. Another two runs for the blue and gold would come in the ninth off of a single from Gourson.

The Bruins will have the chance to reenter the win column when they kick off an eight-game road trip with a series against USC starting Friday.