Speigner, Larkins Key UCR Baseball Sweep Of Visiting BYU

Friday, February 19

Riverside Sports Complex

3:00 PM

UC Riverside

Brigham Young

Speigner, Larkins Key UCR Baseball Sweep Of Visiting BYU

2/19/2010 4:48:21 PM | Baseball

UC Riverside 12, BYU 11 Box Score Game 1

UC Riverside 6, BYU 4 Box Score Game 2

Derek Speigner (pictured) threw 3.1 innings of shutout relief in game one, and Matt Larkins went 6.1 innings in game two without allowing an earned run as the Highlanders swept visiting BYU in the first two games of the season for both clubs Friday at the Riverside Sports Complex. The wins were overshadowed, however, by an injury to Larkins.

With the Highlanders leading 6-3 in the nightcap, Larkins picked up the first out of the seventh inning on a grounder to second. The next batter, Austin Hall, dribbled the ball to to the left of the mound, and when Larkins lunged for it, he tumbled to the ground injuring his left knee. He had to be assisted from the field by two of his teammates.

Three relievers—Mark Garcia, Mitch Patito and Mike Wolford—closed out the game for the Highlanders as Wolford picked up his first save of the year taking over the closer's role from career saves leader Joseph Kelly who was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of last year's Major League Baseball Draft. Official word on Larkins' condition will come later in the week..

In the first game of the double dip, the Highlanders found themselves trailing 5-0 heading into the bottom of the third. UCR starter Matt Andriese struggled to find his rhythm, allowing 10 hits and six runs in 4.1 innings of work.

UCR started to climb back into the game with a two-out rally in the bottom of the third. Tony Nix singled to left and Joey Gonzales was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second for Michael Hur. Hur laced a single to left to knock in one run and Ryan Goetz drilled a shot to first that was too tough for the Cougars Chase Frampton to handle driving in the second Highlanders run of the game.

UC Riverside plated two more runs in the fourth, and after giving up a single run in the top of the fifth, they tied the game up on RBI singles by Brian McConkey Trevor Hairgrove.

The Cougars struck back immediately plating five runs in the sixth off of Kevin Dickey, who replaced Andrise in the fourth. Ben Doucette recorded two outs in the inning and gave way to Speigner who ended the frame without throwing a pitch. With runners on second and third, Speigner wheeled and threw to second in a pick off attempt, and Ryan Bernal tried to score from third on the play but was thrown out at the plate. The Highlanders answered with five runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth as they strung together two singles, two doubles, three walks and an error to tie the ball game at 11.

Speigner shut down the Cougars the remainder of the way allowing just one hit and walking one in 3.1 innings. UCR finally took the lead in the seventh when Goetz opened the inning with a double to right center, and Dan Pellegrino drove him home with a two-out, pinch-hit single for what would prove to be the game-winner in the 12-11 victory. (Watch Speigner's postgame interview)

The Highlanders and Cougars go at it again on Saturday at the Riverside Sports Complex beginning at noon.