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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Sophomore right-hander DJ Mauldon pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief while sophomore designated hitter Luke Yoder and senior second baseman Pat Pezet belted solo home runs as Cal Poly defeated No. 7 UC Irvine 4-2 in a Big West Conference baseball game Saturday night before 1,023 in Baggett Stadium.

The decision evened the three-game series at a game apiece. Final game is Sunday at 1 o’clock. UC Irvine is 18-3 with the loss while Cal Poly, which had lost three straight and six of seven, improved to 9-13. Both are 1-1 in Big West games.

Mauldin (2-3) relieved starter Derrick Saito with one out in the fifth inning and UC Irvine runners at first and second. Mauldin walked the first two Anteaters to force in a run, tying the game at 2-2, but shut the door the rest of the way, allowing two harmless hits in the seventh inning and striking out four.

Pezet hit his third home run of the season with one out in the first inning.

After UC Irvine tied the game at 1-1 on Jeff Cusick’s single up the middle in the third inning, Yoder broke the deadlock with his sixth round-tripper of the year, a no-doubter over the left-field wall for a 2-1 Mustang advantage.

UC Irvine again tied the score at 2-2 with the fifth-inning bases-loaded walk.

Cal Poly scored twice in the sixth to break the tie.

Junior third baseman Brent Morel led off with an infield single. Sophomore first baseman Wes Dorrell doubled down the left-field line, scoring Morel with the go-ahead run.

Later in the inning, the squeeze was on and senior catcher Josh Thomas had to duck out of the way of a high inside pitch. Dorrell was caught in a rundown between third and home, but UC Irvine catcher Aaron Lowenstein’s throw to third base sailed down the left-field line, Dorrell scoring with an insurance run.

Shortstop Ben Orloff and third baseman Casey Stevenson both singled to open the seventh for UC Irvine, but after a trip to the mound by Cal Poly head coach Larry Lee, Mauldin induced Cusick to ground into a double play. Designated hitter Francis Larson grounded out to shortstop to end the threat.

The Anteaters had just one other baserunner in the game as Mauldin retired eight of the final nine UC Irvine batters in the game for the win.

Mustang starter Saito gave up two runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings with two walks and six strikeouts before giving way to Mauldin.

The loss went to sophomore right-hander Bryce Stowell (4-1), who allowed four runs and six hits in six innings with two walks and five strikeouts.

Cal Poly outhit UC Irvine 8-7, led by senior right fielder Ryan Lee with a single and double.

Orloff was 3-for-5 for UC Irvine while Cusick added two hits.

Sophomore right-hander Steven Fischback (3-1, 3.82 ERA) will start for Cal Poly on Sunday against UC Irvine sophomore southpaw Daniel Bibona (3-1, 2.33 ERA).