Friday, April 7
UC Riverside
6
at
8
UC Santa Barbara
Highlanders Drop Big West Opener, 8-6
4/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
UC Santa Barbara scored six runs in the sixth inning to defeat UC Riverside 8-6 Friday afternoon in the Big West Conference opener for both teams. The Highlanders fall to 16-12, 0-1 while the Gauchos win their fifth straight to improve to 14-13, 1-0.
For the second game in a row, the Highlanders took an early lead but were unable to hold it. UCR scored twice in both the first and second innings, to go ahead 4-1. Junior LF D.J. Hollingsworth walked to open the game, then stole second and came home on junior CF Brett Bigler's triple. Two batters later, Bigler scored on senior RFAaron Grant's single to left.
UCSB struck back with a run in the bottom of the first as Alden Carrithers walked and later scored on a single by Robbie Blauer.
UCR scored twice more in the second to go ahead 4-1. Junior 1B Kyle Barratt led off with a single and went to second on sophomore 3B Aaron Wible's walk. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners over, Hollingsworth drove in Barratt with a sacrifice fly. Wible then scored on an infield error.
UCSB again pulled a run back in the fourth when Blauer doubled and scored on an infield single by Matt Clark. The next inning was when the most damage was done, however, as the Gauchos scored six runs with two outs to knock out UCR sophomore starter James Simmons (6-2). After Simmons retired the first two batters, Blauer singled and Matt Emerick followed with a double, moving Blauer to third. Chris McMurray then hit a two-run single to tie the game and Clark followed with a two-run home run to make it 6-4. Mario Lewis singled to restart the Gaucho rally and Brian Lee knocked him in with a triple. Carrithers, the ninth batter of the inning, then singled home Lee with the sixth run of the inning. That marked the end of Simmons' day as he was replaced by junior LHP Pat Cassa.
Sophomore C Jeff Dunbar's RBI single in the seventh brought the score back to 8-5 as he knocked in Bigler, who had led off the the inning with his second triple of the game.
UCR looked to rally in the ninth as Hollingsworth was hit by a pitch and went to third on Bigler's double. A sacrifice fly by senior INF Brian Steinmeyer brought home Hollingsworth and the Highlanders brought the winning run to the plate after Dunbar was hit by a pitch. But Grant grounded into a double play to end the game.
Simmons had his shortest outing of the season, lasting 4 2/3 innings. He gave up all eight runs on 14 hits while striking out five.
Andy Graham (3-3) threw eight innings to gain the win. He allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits and struck out five. Justin Segal picked up the save.
Bigler was 4-for-5 with an RBI for his second four-hit game of the season.
For the second game in a row, the Highlanders took an early lead but were unable to hold it. UCR scored twice in both the first and second innings, to go ahead 4-1. Junior LF D.J. Hollingsworth walked to open the game, then stole second and came home on junior CF Brett Bigler's triple. Two batters later, Bigler scored on senior RFAaron Grant's single to left.
UCSB struck back with a run in the bottom of the first as Alden Carrithers walked and later scored on a single by Robbie Blauer.
UCR scored twice more in the second to go ahead 4-1. Junior 1B Kyle Barratt led off with a single and went to second on sophomore 3B Aaron Wible's walk. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners over, Hollingsworth drove in Barratt with a sacrifice fly. Wible then scored on an infield error.
UCSB again pulled a run back in the fourth when Blauer doubled and scored on an infield single by Matt Clark. The next inning was when the most damage was done, however, as the Gauchos scored six runs with two outs to knock out UCR sophomore starter James Simmons (6-2). After Simmons retired the first two batters, Blauer singled and Matt Emerick followed with a double, moving Blauer to third. Chris McMurray then hit a two-run single to tie the game and Clark followed with a two-run home run to make it 6-4. Mario Lewis singled to restart the Gaucho rally and Brian Lee knocked him in with a triple. Carrithers, the ninth batter of the inning, then singled home Lee with the sixth run of the inning. That marked the end of Simmons' day as he was replaced by junior LHP Pat Cassa.
Sophomore C Jeff Dunbar's RBI single in the seventh brought the score back to 8-5 as he knocked in Bigler, who had led off the the inning with his second triple of the game.
UCR looked to rally in the ninth as Hollingsworth was hit by a pitch and went to third on Bigler's double. A sacrifice fly by senior INF Brian Steinmeyer brought home Hollingsworth and the Highlanders brought the winning run to the plate after Dunbar was hit by a pitch. But Grant grounded into a double play to end the game.
Simmons had his shortest outing of the season, lasting 4 2/3 innings. He gave up all eight runs on 14 hits while striking out five.
Andy Graham (3-3) threw eight innings to gain the win. He allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits and struck out five. Justin Segal picked up the save.
Bigler was 4-for-5 with an RBI for his second four-hit game of the season.
Thursday, May 21
Monday, May 04
Friday, May 01
Tuesday, March 24
