Highlanders Outslug Fifteenth Ranked San Diego, 13-9

Wednesday, May 26

Riverside Sports Complex

3:00 PM

UC Riverside

San Diego

Highlanders Outslug Fifteenth Ranked San Diego, 13-9

5/26/2010 3:05:00 PM | Baseball

UC Riverside 13, No. 15 San Diego 9 Box Score

Riverside—UC Riverside picked up its first win of the season against a ranked opponent, and Justin Shults broke the Highlanders Division I-era single-season RBI record as UCR upended the San Diego Toreros, 13-9 Wednesday evening. (Listen to John Ramey's call of the record-setting hit) The win improves the Highlanders record to 30-22 while the Toreros fall to 34-19.

The Highlanders found themselves in a hole early as the Toreros touched UC Riverside starter Eddie Orozco for four runs in the top of the first. All the runs came with two outs as Chris Engell singled to right and came home on a James Meadors homer down the left field line. Orozco then plunked Nick McCoy and Zach Walters' triple to center made it a 3-0 San Diego lead. Bryan Harr's single through the left side scored Walters for the final run of the inning.

Toreros starter Matt Thompson struck out the side in the bottom of the first but was replaced by Paul Sewald in the second as San Diego was treating the Wednesday contest as an "All Staff" day. It was a welcome change for the Highlanders bats as Robert Brantly singled through the right side to open the second, and Justin Shults drew a walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out.

Tony Nix then reached on a fielder's choice, but Toreros shortstop Walker threw the ball away trying to complete the double play and Brantly came home with UCR's first run of the day. Two batters later, Bryan Horst drew a walk, and Trevor Hairgrove was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brian McConkey doubled down the left field line plating two to cut the San Diego lead to one.

Orozco and company kept the Toreros from scoring in the top of the third, and in the bottom half of the inning, Shults's single through the right side scored Brantly to tie the game.

Orozco retired San Diego in order in the top of the fourth, and the Highlanders took a 7-4 lead in the next half inning thanks to an RBI ground out by Brantly and a two-RBI single to left by Shults. With those two RBIs, Shults broke the UC Riverside single-season Division I-era record for runs batted in in a season with 56. The previous record holder was Jamie Pedroza who knocked in 55 for the Highlanders back in the 2007 season.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Toreros scored three in the top of the fifth to tie the game at seven. Orozco gave up a single, a walk, a double and a single before being lifted for the Highlanders usual Saturday starter, Dustin Emmons.

Emmons (8-4) gave up an RBI single to Walters through the left side before getting the first out of the inning on a fielder's choice. That play left McCoy at third base, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Mike Ferraro appeared to score him with the go-ahead run. The Highlanders appealed immediately, however, claiming that McCoy had left too soon, and home plate umpire Mike Gilmore agreed, allowing UCR to escape the inning without incurring any additional damage.

The Highlander's offense continued to rack up the hits in the bottom of the fifth as McConkey laced a triple to center that scored Horst and Young to make it 9-7 UCR. A wild pitch the following batter gave the Highlanders a three-run lead.

After the Toreros scored a run in the top of the sixth, UC Riverside scored three more in the bottom of the inning. Nix's double plated Brantly and Young's single up the middle scored Nix and Shults.

San Diego picked up another run in the top of the seventh to make the score 13-9, and end the scoring for the night. Matt Larkins pitched a scoreless eighth for the Highlanders and Mitch Patito closed things out with a scoreless ninth.

The Highlanders finish up the regular season this weekend with a three-game Big West Conference series against UC Davis. First pitch Friday at the Riverside Sports Complex is 6 pm PT. It is also Military Appreciation Night Friday evening as all active, retired, reserve and dependent members of the military will be admitted to the game for free. The March Air Reserve Base Honor Guard will present the colors and Base Commander Col. Karl McGregor will throw out the first pitch.

Game two of the series with the Aggies is Saturday at 6 pm, and the final game of the season is slated for Sunday at 1 pm. The Highlanders will honor their four seniors in a ceremony set to begin at 12:45 pm Sunday.