Tuesday, March 31
Riverside Sports Complex
6:00 PM
UC Riverside
7
vs
8
San Diego
Photo by: Bobby R. Hester, (c) 2008
Hairgrove's Grounder Caps Highlanders 8-7 Comeback Over San Diego
3/31/2009 6:36:18 PM | Baseball
UC Riverside 8, San Diego 7 - Box Score
The UC Riverside Baseball Team found itself looking down the wrong end of a 6-2 score midway through the evening at the Riverside Sports Complex, but three-run rallies in the fifth and eighth helped the Highlanders to an 8-7 win over visiting San Diego. Trevor Hairgrove's grounder brought in the go-ahead run, and Joseph Kelly worked out of a jam in the ninth for his fifth save of the season.
Things looked good for the Highlanders in the early going as they broke out of their hitting slump in the bottom of the first. Carl Uhl opened the inning with a double down the left field line and one out later, Michael Hur traded places with him one out later, and Hur scored on a throwing error by the Toreros first baseman to make it 2-0.
Ryan Platt retired San Diego in order in the first and issued a one-out walk in the second before working out of the inning. But in the third, the Toreros opened the frame with two singles, a walk and another single to tie the game, and before the inning was over, Kolby Moore replaced Platt and San Diego led 6-2.
Moore kept the Highlanders in the game pitching scoreless baseball into the top of the 7th. Meanwhile, the UCR offense got back into the game with a three-run fifth off of reliever Chris Jensen. San Diego starter Matt Couch was making his first appearance of the year after missing all of 2008 due to Tommy John surgery and was on a strict 45 pitch pitch count. Hur and Ryan Goetz each contributed RBI singles in the rally and Hur scored later in the inning on a passed ball.
The score remained 6-5 heading into the bottom of the eighth when the Highlanders got to another Toreros reliever Matt Hauser. Tony Nix began the inning with his 13th double of the season advancing to third on a passed ball. Bryan Horst followed with a single up the middle to tie the score.
San Diego Head Coach Rich Hill made a call to the bullpen for the third time on the day summoning Paul Sewald to the mound. First baseman Justin Shultz bunted Horst to second and a Robert Brantly single put runners on the corners with one out. That brought Hairgrove to the plate, and his grounder to second was booted by Toreros second baseman Chris Engell scoring Horst with the go-ahead run. Carl Uhl's double ended the Highlanders' scoring for the night making the score 8-6, and UCR Head Coach Doug Smith brought Kelly in for the ninth.
Kelly and company made things interesting as San Diego put James Meador on first with one out and a subsequent passed ball moved him to second. A Mike Lugo groundout moved him to third, and with two outs, Tony Strazzara singled through the right side to cut the Highlanders lead in half. A walk to Jose Valerio made it first and second with two outs before a Jon Hotta grounder ended the ball game.
Dustin Emmons (1-0), who pitched a scoreless inning and two-thirds, picked up his first win of the season while Hauser (1-1) took the loss for San Diego.
The Highlanders are on the road this weekend for a three-game series as conference play continues at Long Beach State. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.
The UC Riverside Baseball Team found itself looking down the wrong end of a 6-2 score midway through the evening at the Riverside Sports Complex, but three-run rallies in the fifth and eighth helped the Highlanders to an 8-7 win over visiting San Diego. Trevor Hairgrove's grounder brought in the go-ahead run, and Joseph Kelly worked out of a jam in the ninth for his fifth save of the season.
Things looked good for the Highlanders in the early going as they broke out of their hitting slump in the bottom of the first. Carl Uhl opened the inning with a double down the left field line and one out later, Michael Hur traded places with him one out later, and Hur scored on a throwing error by the Toreros first baseman to make it 2-0.
Ryan Platt retired San Diego in order in the first and issued a one-out walk in the second before working out of the inning. But in the third, the Toreros opened the frame with two singles, a walk and another single to tie the game, and before the inning was over, Kolby Moore replaced Platt and San Diego led 6-2.
Moore kept the Highlanders in the game pitching scoreless baseball into the top of the 7th. Meanwhile, the UCR offense got back into the game with a three-run fifth off of reliever Chris Jensen. San Diego starter Matt Couch was making his first appearance of the year after missing all of 2008 due to Tommy John surgery and was on a strict 45 pitch pitch count. Hur and Ryan Goetz each contributed RBI singles in the rally and Hur scored later in the inning on a passed ball.
The score remained 6-5 heading into the bottom of the eighth when the Highlanders got to another Toreros reliever Matt Hauser. Tony Nix began the inning with his 13th double of the season advancing to third on a passed ball. Bryan Horst followed with a single up the middle to tie the score.
San Diego Head Coach Rich Hill made a call to the bullpen for the third time on the day summoning Paul Sewald to the mound. First baseman Justin Shultz bunted Horst to second and a Robert Brantly single put runners on the corners with one out. That brought Hairgrove to the plate, and his grounder to second was booted by Toreros second baseman Chris Engell scoring Horst with the go-ahead run. Carl Uhl's double ended the Highlanders' scoring for the night making the score 8-6, and UCR Head Coach Doug Smith brought Kelly in for the ninth.
Kelly and company made things interesting as San Diego put James Meador on first with one out and a subsequent passed ball moved him to second. A Mike Lugo groundout moved him to third, and with two outs, Tony Strazzara singled through the right side to cut the Highlanders lead in half. A walk to Jose Valerio made it first and second with two outs before a Jon Hotta grounder ended the ball game.
Dustin Emmons (1-0), who pitched a scoreless inning and two-thirds, picked up his first win of the season while Hauser (1-1) took the loss for San Diego.
The Highlanders are on the road this weekend for a three-game series as conference play continues at Long Beach State. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.
Thursday, May 21
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Tuesday, March 24
