Baseball Outlasts New Mexico In Game One Of Double Header, 14-12

Albuquerque, NM—UC Riverside and New Mexico engaged in another slug-fest Saturday afternoon combining for 30 hits and 26 runs, but it was the Highlanders holding on for a 14-12 victory in game one of a double header (Box Score).

The Highlanders jumped out on top first for the second straight game as Clayton Prestridge's homer to left scored Joe Chavez to put UCR up 2-0 in the top of the first. That hit extended Prestridge's string of consecutive games reaching base to 30 dating back to last year.

Jacob Smigelski got the start for UC Riverside in search of his first victory of the season, but he struggled in his first inning of work. The Lobos banged out four hits and took advantage of one Highlanders error to plate three in the bottom of the first.

In the top of the second, UC Riverside's offense picked up right where it left off sending Kevin Baumgartner to an early shower with just two gone in the inning. By that time, Nick Vilter sent his first homer of the season over the right field wall scoring Hough in the process, and the Highlanders loaded the bases on singles by Eddie Young and Chavez, and a walk to David Andriese.

Phil Holinsworth cleared the bases with a double ending Baumgartner's day and bringing in relief pitcher Anthony Consiglio who retired Kevin Davidson to end the threat.

New Mexico got one run back in the bottom of the second on D.J. Peterson's two-out, solo shot to left, and two more in the third on a sacrifice fly and a passed ball, cutting the Highlanders lead to 7-6.

UCR extended its lead to 9-6 in the top of the fourth without the benefit of a base hit as Consiglio walked four straight batters to open the frame. Vic Sanchez replaced him with nobody out in the inning, and Kyle Boudreau's fielder's choice scored Chavez for the third time of the day.

The Lobos touched Smigelski for another run in the bottom of the fourth as Peterson connected on his second home run of the day and seventh of the season.

UC Riverside tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fifth as Vilter reached on a throwing error by the first baseman, and singles by Matt Ellis and Chavez brought him home with the Highlanders 10th run of the game. Andriese would later single to center scoring Ellis, but Chavez was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play.

In the bottom of the fifth, Alex Real joined the home run parade with a lead-off shot to left reducing the UCR lead to three, and four batters later a fielder's choice brought home an unearned run to make it 11-9 Highlanders.

UC Riverside loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, and a wild pitch brought Boudreau home putting the Highlanders back up by three. It was a run they would need as the Lobos scored two after the seventh inning stretch off of reliever Antonio Gonzales. The left-hander gave up a pair of singles and a wild pitch before Luke Campbell's double down the left field reduced the lead to one again.

The scoreboard operator had a chance to breathe in the seventh as neither team was able to plate a run, but the Highlanders pushed two across in the top of the eighth thanks to a two-RBI single by Chavez.

A sac fly in the bottom of the eighth ended the scoring as both teams came up empty in the ninth. Smigelski was credited with the win, and Trevor Frank threw two innings to earn the save.

Baseball Outlasts New Mexico In Game One Of Double Header, 14-12

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