Saturday, March 10
Riverside, CA
6:00 PM
UC Riverside
1
vs
0
Sacramento State
Photo by: UCR Athletics Media Relations
Orozco Takes Perfect Game Into Seventh, Settles For 15 Strikeout, 1-0 Win
3/10/2012 6:33:00 PM | Baseball
UC Riverside 1, Sacramento State 0 - Box Score
Riverside—UC Riverside pitcher Eddie Orozco took a perfect game into the seventh inning Saturday night, eventually settling for a record-setting three-hit, 15 strikeout performance in a 1-0 shutout of Sacramento State.
Unlike Friday evening, which saw the Highlanders (6-8) pound out 16 hits in a 15-4 victory, Saturday belonged to the pitchers. The drama of the night almost never materialized, however, as Hornets (5-9) lead-off hitter Kyle Moses lifted a fly ball to left center field that threatened to drop in the gap, but Devyn Bolasky came up with a sliding catch for the first out of the game.
Orozco (3-1) then struck out Justin Higley for his first punch out of the night, and got Rhys Hoskins to fly out to right. Not to be outdone, In the bottom of the first, Sacramento State starter Tanner Mendonca struck out the side, and the pitcher's dual was on.
Orozco picked up another strikeout to start the next inning and got a pair of groundouts for his second perfect inning of work, while Mendonca (2-2) sandwiched two more strikeouts around a fly ball to right field in the bottom of the inning.
The Highlanders senior right-hander remained perfect in the third striking out the side, but Mendonca ran into trouble in his next trip up the hill. Bart Steponovich beat out a one-out infield single, advancing to second on Jake Gallaway's ground out. Bolansky then lifted a single down the left field line to give UC Riverside a 1-0 lead.
As it turned out, that was all the offense Orozco would need. He struck out two more Hornets in the fourth and two in the sixth, before Moses singled to right center to open the seventh inning spoiling UCR's bid for a perfect game. Orozco didn't allow the hit to get to him, however, as he struck out Higley and Hoskins before picking Moses off first base to end the seventh.
Sacramento State picked up its second hit of the night in the top of the eighth as Derrick Chung beat out a slow roller to short, but Orozco retired the next two hitters without incident.
The crowd was on its feat in the top of the ninth, and Orozco didn't disappoint raring back and striking out the first two hitters to give him 14 on the night. Moses singled to right to add some drama to the moment, but Orozco struck out Higley for his 15th strikeout of the game (Listen To Call).
That tied him with current assistant coach Chris Smith (May 25, 2002 vs. UC Irvine), and James Simmons (February 16, 2007 vs. San Francisco) atop UC Riverside's leader board for the most strikeouts in a single game during the team's Division I era.
Mendonca struck out 10 Highlanders on the night and allowed just six hits while walking one, but Bolasky's RBI single in the third was the difference maker.
UC Riverside and Sacramento State square off in the final game of this three-game series on Sunday, March 11 beginning at 1 pm PT.
Riverside—UC Riverside pitcher Eddie Orozco took a perfect game into the seventh inning Saturday night, eventually settling for a record-setting three-hit, 15 strikeout performance in a 1-0 shutout of Sacramento State.
Unlike Friday evening, which saw the Highlanders (6-8) pound out 16 hits in a 15-4 victory, Saturday belonged to the pitchers. The drama of the night almost never materialized, however, as Hornets (5-9) lead-off hitter Kyle Moses lifted a fly ball to left center field that threatened to drop in the gap, but Devyn Bolasky came up with a sliding catch for the first out of the game.
Orozco (3-1) then struck out Justin Higley for his first punch out of the night, and got Rhys Hoskins to fly out to right. Not to be outdone, In the bottom of the first, Sacramento State starter Tanner Mendonca struck out the side, and the pitcher's dual was on.
Orozco picked up another strikeout to start the next inning and got a pair of groundouts for his second perfect inning of work, while Mendonca (2-2) sandwiched two more strikeouts around a fly ball to right field in the bottom of the inning.
The Highlanders senior right-hander remained perfect in the third striking out the side, but Mendonca ran into trouble in his next trip up the hill. Bart Steponovich beat out a one-out infield single, advancing to second on Jake Gallaway's ground out. Bolansky then lifted a single down the left field line to give UC Riverside a 1-0 lead.
As it turned out, that was all the offense Orozco would need. He struck out two more Hornets in the fourth and two in the sixth, before Moses singled to right center to open the seventh inning spoiling UCR's bid for a perfect game. Orozco didn't allow the hit to get to him, however, as he struck out Higley and Hoskins before picking Moses off first base to end the seventh.
Sacramento State picked up its second hit of the night in the top of the eighth as Derrick Chung beat out a slow roller to short, but Orozco retired the next two hitters without incident.
The crowd was on its feat in the top of the ninth, and Orozco didn't disappoint raring back and striking out the first two hitters to give him 14 on the night. Moses singled to right to add some drama to the moment, but Orozco struck out Higley for his 15th strikeout of the game (Listen To Call).
That tied him with current assistant coach Chris Smith (May 25, 2002 vs. UC Irvine), and James Simmons (February 16, 2007 vs. San Francisco) atop UC Riverside's leader board for the most strikeouts in a single game during the team's Division I era.
Mendonca struck out 10 Highlanders on the night and allowed just six hits while walking one, but Bolasky's RBI single in the third was the difference maker.
UC Riverside and Sacramento State square off in the final game of this three-game series on Sunday, March 11 beginning at 1 pm PT.
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