Saturday, May 7
Riverside, CA
6:00 PM
UC Riverside
3
vs
5
Cal State Fullerton
Baseball Can't Hold Lead, Drops 5-3 Decision To #10 Cal State Fullerton
5/7/2011 7:44:14 PM | Baseball
#10 Cal State Fullerton 5, UC Riverside 3 - Box Score
Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team had the tenth-ranked Titans on the ropes Saturday night taking a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning, and a 3-2 lead into the eighth, but Cal State Fullerton scored three runs over the final two innings to pick up the 5-3 win.
Eddie Orozco got the start for the Highlanders (23-17, 6-8), entering the game with a team-low earned run average of 2.41. He held the Titans (32-13, 13-4) in check for most of the day scattering nine hits over six-and-one-third innings, striking out five and not walking a batter.
His teammates staked him to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Ryan Goetz laced a one-out single to right center, Justin Shults sacrificed him to second, and a wild pitch moved him to third. Tony Nix then doubled to right center bringing Goetz home.
The Highlanders made it a 2-0 ballgame in their half of the fifth when Goetz's single through the right side plated Phil Holinsworth who opened the inning with a triple to center.
Cal State Fullerton put their first two batters on base in the top of the seventh ending Orozco's night. Mark Garcia got the call in the bullpen, but pinch hitter Greg Velazquez greeted him with a single to center scoring both runners and tying the game.
UCR got the lead back in the bottom of the seventh when Goetz ripped a single up the middle scoring Eddie Young.
Dustin Emmons, who came in to pick up the final out of the Titans' half of the seventh, returned to start the eighth as well, and he retired the first two batters he faced on a ground out and a strikeout. But first baseman Nick Ramirez turned on a 3-2 pitch and lifted it just over the Diet Pepsi sign in rightfield to tie the game at three.
Ramirez moved from first to the pitcher's mound in the bottom of the eighth, taking over for starter Tyler PIll, who allowed 10 hits in seven innings striking out six. After picking up the first two outs, Ramirez gave up a single up the middle to Bryan Horst. An errant pick-off attempt got past Walker Moore at first and rolled all the way into the Titans bullpen allowing Horst to reach third, but Eddie Young grounded out to second ending the threat.
Michael Lorenzen singled up the middle to open the ninth against Emmons, and promptly stole second. Richy Pedroza then beat out a chopper over the pitcher's mound putting runners at the corners. After Greg Velazquez grounded out for the second out of the inning, moving Pedroza to third, Emmons uncorked a wild pitch that catcher Bart Steponovich struggled to locate. By the time he did, both Fullerton base runners had crossed the plate for a 5-3 lead.
Chris Devenski came on to pitch the ninth for the Titans, allowing just a two-out walk to Hairgrove before nailing down his third save of the season.
UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton conclude their three-game series at the Riverside Sports Complex on Sunday beginning at 1 pm PT.
Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team had the tenth-ranked Titans on the ropes Saturday night taking a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning, and a 3-2 lead into the eighth, but Cal State Fullerton scored three runs over the final two innings to pick up the 5-3 win.
Eddie Orozco got the start for the Highlanders (23-17, 6-8), entering the game with a team-low earned run average of 2.41. He held the Titans (32-13, 13-4) in check for most of the day scattering nine hits over six-and-one-third innings, striking out five and not walking a batter.
His teammates staked him to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Ryan Goetz laced a one-out single to right center, Justin Shults sacrificed him to second, and a wild pitch moved him to third. Tony Nix then doubled to right center bringing Goetz home.
The Highlanders made it a 2-0 ballgame in their half of the fifth when Goetz's single through the right side plated Phil Holinsworth who opened the inning with a triple to center.
Cal State Fullerton put their first two batters on base in the top of the seventh ending Orozco's night. Mark Garcia got the call in the bullpen, but pinch hitter Greg Velazquez greeted him with a single to center scoring both runners and tying the game.
UCR got the lead back in the bottom of the seventh when Goetz ripped a single up the middle scoring Eddie Young.
Dustin Emmons, who came in to pick up the final out of the Titans' half of the seventh, returned to start the eighth as well, and he retired the first two batters he faced on a ground out and a strikeout. But first baseman Nick Ramirez turned on a 3-2 pitch and lifted it just over the Diet Pepsi sign in rightfield to tie the game at three.
Ramirez moved from first to the pitcher's mound in the bottom of the eighth, taking over for starter Tyler PIll, who allowed 10 hits in seven innings striking out six. After picking up the first two outs, Ramirez gave up a single up the middle to Bryan Horst. An errant pick-off attempt got past Walker Moore at first and rolled all the way into the Titans bullpen allowing Horst to reach third, but Eddie Young grounded out to second ending the threat.
Michael Lorenzen singled up the middle to open the ninth against Emmons, and promptly stole second. Richy Pedroza then beat out a chopper over the pitcher's mound putting runners at the corners. After Greg Velazquez grounded out for the second out of the inning, moving Pedroza to third, Emmons uncorked a wild pitch that catcher Bart Steponovich struggled to locate. By the time he did, both Fullerton base runners had crossed the plate for a 5-3 lead.
Chris Devenski came on to pitch the ninth for the Titans, allowing just a two-out walk to Hairgrove before nailing down his third save of the season.
UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton conclude their three-game series at the Riverside Sports Complex on Sunday beginning at 1 pm PT.
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