Northridge, CA—The UC Riverside Baseball Team jumped out to an early lead over CSUN Friday afternoon, but the Matadors offense responded with 10 runs of its own, taking a 10-4 decision over the Highlanders in the first game of their three-game Big West Conference series..

UC Riverside (13-20, 2-8) has had difficulties scoring early, of late, but that wasn't the case Friday as Mark Contreras began the game with a lead-off triple down the right field line, and AJ Sawyer brought him home with a ground out to second.

The lead didn't last long, however, as the Matadors (18-21, 5-5) scored two runs in the bottom of the second and three in the third.

The Highlanders cut into the lead in the top of the fourth chasing starter Tei Venderford. Three of the first four batters reached to load the bases, and UC Riverside Head Coach Troy Percival sent up Yeager Taylor to pinch hit for Tony Gudiño.

Taylor grounded out to second to make it 5-2, and after Vanderford intentionally walked Contreras, the Matadors went to their bullpen, bringing in Conner O'Neil (4-3) with two outs. He struck out Sawyer to leave the bases loaded, and the three-run lead in tact.

CSUN touched Lillie for two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, and the Highlanders turned the ball over to Nick Shur. He kept CSUN off the scoreboard over the next inning-and-two-thirds, and in the top of the sixth, Sawyer drove in a pair of runs with a bases-loaded single up the middle to make it a three-run game again, 7-4. Colby Schultz drew a walk to load the bases again, but O'Neil struck out the next two batters to work his way out of the jam.

Trenton Toplikar pitched a scoreless sixth, however the Highlanders gave up an unearned run in the seventh, and Johnny Breidenthal was touched for two runs in the eighth for the final 10-4 decision.

The Highlanders and Matadors continue their three-game series on Saturday at 1 pm PT.