Nick Vilter Blasts Eighth Home Run But Baseball Falls, 7-4, To West Virginia

Sunday, March 9

Riverside, CA

5:00 pm

UC Riverside

8-8

West Virginia

8-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
West Virginia	1	0	0	4	0	0	1	0	1	7	11	1
UC Riverside	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	0	4	3	4

Photo by: Carlos Puma

Nick Vilter Blasts Eighth Home Run But Baseball Falls, 7-4, To West Virginia

3/9/2014 9:29:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Riverside—Nick Vilter clubbed his nation-leading eighth home run Sunday evening, but the UC Riverside Baseball Team fell 7-4 to West Virginia (box score).

The Mountaineers finished their trip to the Inland Empire with a perfect 3-0 record with two wins over the Highlanders and one over Sacramento State.

They took an early lead Sunday scoring a run in the top of the first off of UC Riverside starter Mitch Patito (0-1). After striking out Taylor Munden, Patito gave up a single through the right side to Bobby Boyd, and then plunked Billy Fleming to put runners on first and second. Clean-up hitter Ryan McBroom then singled up the middle to put West Virginia on top, 1-0.

Antonio Gonzales came on in relief for the Highlanders, and pitched a scoreless second and third inning. He gave way to Dylan Stuart after walking the lead-off batter in the top of the fourth, and whom Wood greeted Stuart with a homer to right center making it 3-0 Mountaineers. West Virginia wasn't done, though, as Stuart gave up two singles and a double to put WVU up 5-0.

Meanwhile, Mountaineers starter John Means kept the UC Riverside bats at bay allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out six in his six innings of work.

Jordan Kron threw a scoreless sixth for the Highlanders, but in the seventh, he gave up an RBI single to Jacob Rice and UC Riverside trailed by six.

With Means exiting the game after the sixth, UC Riverside's offense began to click. Devyn Bolasky got on via a bunt single, and Vilter rocketed his eighth homer of the season over the left field wall to cut the West Virginia advantage to three.

Kevin Sprague kept the Mountaineers off the board in the eighth, and in the Highlanders half of the frame, Ryan Tezak walked Cody Hough and pinch hitter Vince Hernandez with one out. Joby Lapkowicz came on in relief to stop the rally, but he uncorked a wild pitch that advanced both runners 90 feet. After a walk to Francisco Teleez loaded the bases, a passed ball brought Hough home. Bolasky then reached on an error which allowed Fernandez to score pulling the Highlanders to within two. 6-4.

The Mountaineers scored an unearned run off of Joie Dunyon in the top of the ninth for the final margin of victory as the Highlanders went in order in the bottom of the ninth.

UC Riverside remains at home this week as they host Gonzaga on Tuesday for a 3 pm PT first pitcher before hosting Stony brook for a three-game series over the weekend.