Ninth Inning UCR Miscue Leads To 8-5 Loyola Marymount Win

Loyola Marymount 8, UC Riverside 5 - Box Score

The UC Riverside Baseball Team found itself tied at five in the ninth inning against Loyola Marymount having battled back from an early 4-0 deficit. But an error by left fielder Tony Nix led to three runs in the ninth, and the Highlanders fell to the visiting Lions, 8-5.

LMU (23-16) put four on the board in the top of the first as Jonathan Johnson opened the inning with a single, Kyle Spraker was hit by a pitch, and Ryan Wheeler reached on an error to load the bases for Angelo Songco. Songco promptly took a Ryan Platt offering over the centerfield fence for a grand slam and a 4-0 Lions lead..

UCR (20-10) got two runs back in the bottom of the third as Trent Jemmet opened the inning with a single to right and Brian McConkey came back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk. Carl Uhl dropped a sac bunt down to move the runners to second and third, and following a two-out walk to Michael Hur, Ryan Goetz brought a pair home with an RBI single up the middle.

The Highlanders cut the lead in half an inning later as Joey Gonzales drilled a one-out triple down the right field line and came home after Jemmet fouled out to the first baseman down the right field line.

Platt threw his 99th pitch of the game as he walked Ryan Wheeler to open the top of the fifth inning, and the Highlanders made the call to the bullpen. Kolby Moore took the to the hill for UCR in relief and got Songco to hit a high chopper to second that bounded into the outfield putting runners at the corners. After a strikeout and a foul out, it looked like the Highlanders were going to get out of the inning unscathed, but Shon Roe hit a tough grounder in the hole to short, and Bryan Horst's throw was high allowing one run.

UCR didn't waste anytime getting the run back, as Uhl doubled to right center to start the inning, and Horst, who was trying to bunt Uhl to third was hit by a pitch putting runners at first and second for Hur. His single to right plated one, Horst advanced to third and that was it for Lions starter Jordan McClintick.

Jason Wheeler took to the hill as his replacement and after striking out Goetz, a Robert Brantly grounder to short scored the tying run before Wheeler got out of the inning.

The score remained tied at five until the top of the ninth. Dustin Emmons (1-1), who relieved Moore in the seventh, picked up the first out on a fly ball to center, but walked Kyle Spraker to put the go-ahead run at first. The Highlanders had the second out in hand when Ryan Wheeler lifted a fly ball to deep left field. Nix went back to the warning track and appeared to make the grab, but the ball fell out of his glove for a two-base error.

Following an intentional walk to load the bases, the Highlanders made their final call to the bullpen summoning closer Joseph Kelly. Kelly got out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam on Saturday at CSU Bakersfield and would need to work some similar magic to emerge from the ninth with a tie still intact.

Unfortunately, Brad Brauer ripped the first Kelly pitch down the left field line scoring two. A grounder to second scored a third run before UCR was able to pick up the third out of the inning. The Highlanders went in order in the bottom of the ninth and LMU had the win.

UC Riverside hosts No. 3 UC Irvine this weekend for a three-game conference series at the Riverside Sports Complex. First pitch Friday and Saturday is at 6 pm and Sunday's game begins at 2 pm

Ninth Inning UCR Miscue Leads To 8-5 Loyola Marymount Win

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