Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team earned a split in its four-game series against K-State this week thanks to a 6-3 victory over the Wildcats Monday evening (listen to audio highlights).

Both teams put runners on in the early innings, but UC Riverside starter Tyler Musgrave (1-0) benefited from three double plays in the first three innings to keep K-State off the board.

The Highlanders (2-2) put three runners on in the first two innings, but had one erased with a pick off and another caught stealing. They finally broke through in the bottom of the third as Thomas Walker led off the frame with a double, and scored in a single up the middle by Aaron Cisneros. UC Riverside threatened to tack on a few additional runs when Colby Schultz singled down the right field line putting runners on the corners with no outs, but Wildcats starter Colton Kalmus (0-1) struck out the side to keep the lead, 1-0.

Cisneros put the Highlanders up 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth when he drilled a solo shot to left center for his first home run of the season. UC Riverside wasn't done though, as Schultz and Michael Farris followed with back-to-back walks, and Vince Fernandez singled to right to make it 3-0 UCR.

That ended Kalmus' evening as K-State (2-2) went to its bullpen, calling on right hander Jacob Ruder who struck out the final two batters to end the frame.

Musgrave began to tire in the top of the sixth walking the lead off hitter and plunking the second batter to put runners on first and second with nobody out. He gave way to Jared Morton who recorded the first two outs on a fly ball to center, and a pick off by his catcher Casey Worden. That moved Wodtke to third, and Jake Scudder's single through the left side ended the Highlanders' shut out bid.

The Highlanders got the run back in the bottom of the inning thanks to a defensive miscue by the Wildcats. Cody Sporrer led things off with a triple, and after Ruder retired the next two hitters, Cisneros hit a lazy fly ball to right. Brooks ZImmermann got turned around trying to get to it, though, and fell trying to make the grab. The ball bounced away, scoring Sporrer, with UC Riverside's fourth run of the night.

UCR scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, and they would prove to be vaulable as the Wildcats mounted a threat in the top of the ninth against Highlanders' relief pitcher Jacob Worrell. Worrell took over for Ryan Lillie in the top of the seventh, and got out of a bases loaded jam. He then worked a perfect eighth, but ran into difficulty in the ninth.

Worrell walked the lead off hitter in the form of pinch hitter Cory Wright. After Sam Chadick struck out swinging, Worrell fielded a come-backer to the mount off the bat of Jake Wodtke, but his throw was off the mark putting runners at first and second. A Tyler Wolfe single up the middle loaded the bases, and that ended Worrell's night as Ryan Lillie came out of the pen to nail down the save.

Lillie hit the first batter he faced, and walked the next to make it a 6-3 ballgame, before settling down an getting TYler Moore to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

The Highlanders are off until the weekend when they welcome Washington to The Plex for a four-game series beginning Friday, February 25 with a 6 pm PT first pitch. Saturday's double header begins at 11 am with the second game starting approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Sunday's series finale is slated to start at 1 pm.