Saturday, May 22
Irvine, CA
1:00 PM
UC Riverside
15
at
12
UC Irvine
Photo by: Ross French
Baseball Scores Four In The 12th For 15-12 Win Over No. 25 UC Irvine
5/22/2010 3:32:34 PM | Baseball
UC Riverside 15, #25 UC Irvine 12 Box Score
Irvine, CA—UC Riverside gave up leads of 4-0 and 7-4 Saturday afternoon, but rallied to tie the game late and scored four runs in the top of the 12th to pick up a 15-12 win over No. 25 UC Irvine evening their three-game Big West Conference series at one game apiece.
The win keeps the Highlanders postseason hopes alive as they improve to 29-20 overall and 11-9 in conference, one half game behind Pacific for third place in the Big West pending the outcome of the Tigers' Saturday evening game at Cal Poly.
The Highlanders jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Robert Brantly started things off with an infield single, and Justin Shults brought him home with a triple down the left field line. Tony Nix followed with his eighth homer of the season and his sixth in the last 11 games to make it 3-0 UCR. One out later, Bryan Horst ripped a double to let field, and he eventually came home on a throwing error by Anteaters shortstop D.J. Crumlich.
Early on it looked like that might be all UC Riverside starter Dustin Emmons would need as he gave up just two hits through the first four innings. He ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth, however, as four of the first five batters reached base. Francis Larson singled to left to open the inning, and Matt Summers drew a walk to move Larson to second. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up 90 feet, Sean Madigan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Casey Stevenson brought all three runners home with a bases-clearing double, and one out later Jeff Cusick singled to left to tie the game at four.
UC Riverside took the lead again a half inning later when Eddie Young's single to center scored Shults and Nix to make it 6-4 Highlanders. A Shults double in the top of the seventh brought home Robert Brantly to give UC Riverside a 7-4 advantage.
That lead was short-lived, however, as the Highlanders bullpen gave up six runs in the bottom of the seventh. Eddie Orozco relieved Emmons to start the inning, and after Stevenson flied out to left field, Brian Hernandez doubled to center, Cusick singled to left and Jonathan Hurst doubled to left center to cut the lead to two.
That was it for Orozco as the Highlanders brought in Derek Speigner with men on second and third. Pinch-hitter Jordan Fox flied out to center scoring Cusick, and after Larson walked, Summers double gave UC Irvine its first lead of the ballgame at 8-7. Speigner issued another walk to Tommy Reyes, and was replaced by Mike Wolford. Madigan's single to right scored Reyes and Summers, and the Highlanders found themselves down 10-7.
UC Riverside wasn't done scoring, however, as pinch hitter Trent Jemmett drew a walk to begin the top of the eighth and moved to third on a double by Trevor Hairgrove. Joey Gonzales homered to right one batter later, and the teams were tied at ten apiece.
Mitch Patito got the call in the bottom of the eighth and retired the Anteaters in order. With two outs in the top of the ninth, Tony Nix staged his own two-out rally. He laced a double off of reliever Kyle Necke, and came home with the go-ahead run after a wild pitch and a passed ball.
Patito tried to close things out in the bottom of the ninth, but he walked lead-off man Hurst to start the inning, and after a sac bunt moved pinch runner Scott Gottschling to second, Larson's double tied things at 11.
UC Riverside got a runner to third in the top of the 10th, and had Highlanders at first and second in the 11th, but were unable to score. Meanwhile Patito allowed just two base runners over the next two innings, both with two outs.
Still tied at 11 heading into the top of the 12th. Bryan Horst singled through the left side to open the frame and moved to second on a ground out by Hairgrove. Brian McConkey put runners at the corners with one out with a single to left, but Horst was gunned down on a fielder's choice by Gonzales.
With two outs and Hur coming to the plate, the Anteaters brought in Summers from center field to take the mound. The move didn't pay off as Hur singled to left scoring McConkey and a wild pitch scored Gonzales. Robert Brantly added a two run shot to right field for some insurance and a 15-11 UCR lead.
Trevor Frank came on in relief for the Highlanders in the bottom half of the 12th and gave up one run before closing out UC Riverside's 29th win of the season. Patitio earned his second win of the season throwing four innings of one-hit relief while Necke (1-4) was saddled with the loss. The Highlanders pounded out 18 hits on the afternoon including four each by Nix and Horst.
The three-game series concludes Sunday afternoon with first pitch at Anteaters Stadium slated for 1pm PT.
Irvine, CA—UC Riverside gave up leads of 4-0 and 7-4 Saturday afternoon, but rallied to tie the game late and scored four runs in the top of the 12th to pick up a 15-12 win over No. 25 UC Irvine evening their three-game Big West Conference series at one game apiece.
The win keeps the Highlanders postseason hopes alive as they improve to 29-20 overall and 11-9 in conference, one half game behind Pacific for third place in the Big West pending the outcome of the Tigers' Saturday evening game at Cal Poly.
The Highlanders jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Robert Brantly started things off with an infield single, and Justin Shults brought him home with a triple down the left field line. Tony Nix followed with his eighth homer of the season and his sixth in the last 11 games to make it 3-0 UCR. One out later, Bryan Horst ripped a double to let field, and he eventually came home on a throwing error by Anteaters shortstop D.J. Crumlich.
Early on it looked like that might be all UC Riverside starter Dustin Emmons would need as he gave up just two hits through the first four innings. He ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth, however, as four of the first five batters reached base. Francis Larson singled to left to open the inning, and Matt Summers drew a walk to move Larson to second. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up 90 feet, Sean Madigan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Casey Stevenson brought all three runners home with a bases-clearing double, and one out later Jeff Cusick singled to left to tie the game at four.
UC Riverside took the lead again a half inning later when Eddie Young's single to center scored Shults and Nix to make it 6-4 Highlanders. A Shults double in the top of the seventh brought home Robert Brantly to give UC Riverside a 7-4 advantage.
That lead was short-lived, however, as the Highlanders bullpen gave up six runs in the bottom of the seventh. Eddie Orozco relieved Emmons to start the inning, and after Stevenson flied out to left field, Brian Hernandez doubled to center, Cusick singled to left and Jonathan Hurst doubled to left center to cut the lead to two.
That was it for Orozco as the Highlanders brought in Derek Speigner with men on second and third. Pinch-hitter Jordan Fox flied out to center scoring Cusick, and after Larson walked, Summers double gave UC Irvine its first lead of the ballgame at 8-7. Speigner issued another walk to Tommy Reyes, and was replaced by Mike Wolford. Madigan's single to right scored Reyes and Summers, and the Highlanders found themselves down 10-7.
UC Riverside wasn't done scoring, however, as pinch hitter Trent Jemmett drew a walk to begin the top of the eighth and moved to third on a double by Trevor Hairgrove. Joey Gonzales homered to right one batter later, and the teams were tied at ten apiece.
Mitch Patito got the call in the bottom of the eighth and retired the Anteaters in order. With two outs in the top of the ninth, Tony Nix staged his own two-out rally. He laced a double off of reliever Kyle Necke, and came home with the go-ahead run after a wild pitch and a passed ball.
Patito tried to close things out in the bottom of the ninth, but he walked lead-off man Hurst to start the inning, and after a sac bunt moved pinch runner Scott Gottschling to second, Larson's double tied things at 11.
UC Riverside got a runner to third in the top of the 10th, and had Highlanders at first and second in the 11th, but were unable to score. Meanwhile Patito allowed just two base runners over the next two innings, both with two outs.
Still tied at 11 heading into the top of the 12th. Bryan Horst singled through the left side to open the frame and moved to second on a ground out by Hairgrove. Brian McConkey put runners at the corners with one out with a single to left, but Horst was gunned down on a fielder's choice by Gonzales.
With two outs and Hur coming to the plate, the Anteaters brought in Summers from center field to take the mound. The move didn't pay off as Hur singled to left scoring McConkey and a wild pitch scored Gonzales. Robert Brantly added a two run shot to right field for some insurance and a 15-11 UCR lead.
Trevor Frank came on in relief for the Highlanders in the bottom half of the 12th and gave up one run before closing out UC Riverside's 29th win of the season. Patitio earned his second win of the season throwing four innings of one-hit relief while Necke (1-4) was saddled with the loss. The Highlanders pounded out 18 hits on the afternoon including four each by Nix and Horst.
The three-game series concludes Sunday afternoon with first pitch at Anteaters Stadium slated for 1pm PT.
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UCR Athletics Director Introductory Full Press Conference
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Athletics Director Greg Paules Introductory Presentation Recap
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