Friday, February 24
UC Riverside
0
at
1
Cal State Northridge
Matadors Top Highlanders, 1-0
2/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Craig Baker of Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside’s James Simmons matched pitch for pitch for eight innings and the Matadors scored the game’s only run in the eighth run to hand UCR a 1-0 loss in a non-conference game at Matador Field on Friday afternoon. The loss drops the Highlanders to 7-5 on the season while the Matadors improve to 8-6.
In a matchup of two of the Big West Conference’s top scoring teams, UCR and CSUN posted goose eggs on the scoreboard for 7 2/3 innings. The Matadors finally broke through in the eighth. Jorge Andrade singled to open the inning and was sacrificed to second by Kris Kasarjian. Brett Blumenthal was then intentionally walked, marking the end of the day for Simmons (3-1) as lefty Dan Runzler came in to face pinch-hitter Paul Wilson. Wilson won the battle, singling through the left side to score Andrade.
The Highlanders loaded the bases in the ninth but could not get the tying run across. Sophomore SS Jaime Pedroza led off with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error by Baker. Junior CF Brett Bigler then bunted Pedroza over to third. Bobby Paschal replaced Baker and walked junior LF D.J. Hollingsworth. But Hollingsworth was subsequently picked off first for the second out. Sophomore C Jeff Dunbar walked, then stole second and junior 1B Nick Salotti walked to load the bases. Jimmy Brettl became the third Matador pitcher of the inning and got the job done, inducing senior RF Aaron Grant to line out to short to end the game.
Baker (3-1) carried a no-hitter through 5 2/3 innings before surrendering a two-out single to Bigler in the sixth. That would be the only Highlander hit until Pedroza’s in the ninth. Brettl got the final out for his second save.
Simmons was also solid on the mound, taking a no-hitter into the fourth. He suffered his first loss of the season despite allowing five hits and two walks in 7 1/3 innings. He also struck out three and hit three.
Both teams had their chances early. Hollingsworth reached third with one out in the first but could not score for UCR. In the bottom of the first, Jonathan Sakurai was thrown out at home after getting caught in a rundown. After that, both pitchers settled down, allowing five hits combined over the next seven innings.
The teams continue their weekend series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. game that features UCR’s Haley Winter (0-0) against CSUN’s Edwin Quirarte (2-1). The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. with Taylor Bills (0-0) on the mound for the Highlanders, matched up against Chuckie Fick (1-3) for the Matadors.
In a matchup of two of the Big West Conference’s top scoring teams, UCR and CSUN posted goose eggs on the scoreboard for 7 2/3 innings. The Matadors finally broke through in the eighth. Jorge Andrade singled to open the inning and was sacrificed to second by Kris Kasarjian. Brett Blumenthal was then intentionally walked, marking the end of the day for Simmons (3-1) as lefty Dan Runzler came in to face pinch-hitter Paul Wilson. Wilson won the battle, singling through the left side to score Andrade.
The Highlanders loaded the bases in the ninth but could not get the tying run across. Sophomore SS Jaime Pedroza led off with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error by Baker. Junior CF Brett Bigler then bunted Pedroza over to third. Bobby Paschal replaced Baker and walked junior LF D.J. Hollingsworth. But Hollingsworth was subsequently picked off first for the second out. Sophomore C Jeff Dunbar walked, then stole second and junior 1B Nick Salotti walked to load the bases. Jimmy Brettl became the third Matador pitcher of the inning and got the job done, inducing senior RF Aaron Grant to line out to short to end the game.
Baker (3-1) carried a no-hitter through 5 2/3 innings before surrendering a two-out single to Bigler in the sixth. That would be the only Highlander hit until Pedroza’s in the ninth. Brettl got the final out for his second save.
Simmons was also solid on the mound, taking a no-hitter into the fourth. He suffered his first loss of the season despite allowing five hits and two walks in 7 1/3 innings. He also struck out three and hit three.
Both teams had their chances early. Hollingsworth reached third with one out in the first but could not score for UCR. In the bottom of the first, Jonathan Sakurai was thrown out at home after getting caught in a rundown. After that, both pitchers settled down, allowing five hits combined over the next seven innings.
The teams continue their weekend series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. game that features UCR’s Haley Winter (0-0) against CSUN’s Edwin Quirarte (2-1). The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. with Taylor Bills (0-0) on the mound for the Highlanders, matched up against Chuckie Fick (1-3) for the Matadors.
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