Wednesday, May 2
Las Vegas, NV
3:05 PM
UC Riverside
5
at
2
UNLV
Photo by: UCR Athletics Media Relations
UC Riverside Baseball Bounces Back With 5-2 Victory Over UNLV
5/2/2012 6:07:00 PM | Baseball
Las Vegas, NV—The UC Riverside Baseball Team bounced back from Tuesday's 10-1 loss at UNLV and put an end to a season-long five-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Rebels Wednesday afternoon.
Mitch Patito (3-3), who transitioned from closer to starter during the offseason, has struggled throughout most of the year in his new role. Despite striking out an average of nearly 12.2 batters per nine innings, the junior had yet to last longer than five innings on the mound in 2012. This was due almost entirely to the fact that he's walked 29 batters in 31.1 innings of work leading to an ERA of 4.60.
On Wednesday, the Mira Loma, CA native had his best game of the year throwing seven innings of shutout baseball, allowing five hits and striking out six while walking just three batters.
It may not have been a coincidence that Patito had the kind of success he did: He got the start on April 18 against the Rebels on what was a staff day for the Highlanders, allowing just one hit, striking out five and walking none in 3.0 innings of work.
Patito didn't issue his first free pass until the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday, By that time, his offense had staked him to a 4-0 lead. Eddie Young led off the game with a double to right center, moving to third on a wild pitch and scoring the first run of the game on a Vince Gonzalez single of the middle.
Young was credited with the second run of the game as well as he drew a walk to start the top of the third, and made his way to third base via a walk and deftly tagging on a fly ball to right. David Andriese beat out an infield single to stake the Highlanders to a 2-0 lead.
UC Riverside (15-24) doubled its lead again in the top of the fourth as Drake Zarate led of the inning with a walk, and one out later, Joe Chavez singled through the left side to put runners on first and second. UNLV (21-25) starter John Richy (2-3) then uncorked his third wild pitch of the game moving both runners up 90 feet. Cody Hough and Young followed with back-to-back singles to put the Highlanders up 4-0.
Patito began to struggle with his control in the sixth and seventh as he walked three batters over those two innings and had to work out of a pair of first-and-second jams, but he kept the shutout in tact.
Alex Rubanowitz helped the Highlanders tack on an insurance run in the top of the seventh plating Gonzalez for UCR's fifth run of the day.
Mark Garcia relieved Patito to start the eighth giving up an unearned run, and Ben Doucette did likewise in the ninth for the final 5-2 decision.
UC Riverside returns home this week for a three-game, Big West Conference series with Cal State Northridge. First pitch Friday at the Riverside Sports Complex is 6 pm PT.
Mitch Patito (3-3), who transitioned from closer to starter during the offseason, has struggled throughout most of the year in his new role. Despite striking out an average of nearly 12.2 batters per nine innings, the junior had yet to last longer than five innings on the mound in 2012. This was due almost entirely to the fact that he's walked 29 batters in 31.1 innings of work leading to an ERA of 4.60.
On Wednesday, the Mira Loma, CA native had his best game of the year throwing seven innings of shutout baseball, allowing five hits and striking out six while walking just three batters.
It may not have been a coincidence that Patito had the kind of success he did: He got the start on April 18 against the Rebels on what was a staff day for the Highlanders, allowing just one hit, striking out five and walking none in 3.0 innings of work.
Patito didn't issue his first free pass until the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday, By that time, his offense had staked him to a 4-0 lead. Eddie Young led off the game with a double to right center, moving to third on a wild pitch and scoring the first run of the game on a Vince Gonzalez single of the middle.
Young was credited with the second run of the game as well as he drew a walk to start the top of the third, and made his way to third base via a walk and deftly tagging on a fly ball to right. David Andriese beat out an infield single to stake the Highlanders to a 2-0 lead.
UC Riverside (15-24) doubled its lead again in the top of the fourth as Drake Zarate led of the inning with a walk, and one out later, Joe Chavez singled through the left side to put runners on first and second. UNLV (21-25) starter John Richy (2-3) then uncorked his third wild pitch of the game moving both runners up 90 feet. Cody Hough and Young followed with back-to-back singles to put the Highlanders up 4-0.
Patito began to struggle with his control in the sixth and seventh as he walked three batters over those two innings and had to work out of a pair of first-and-second jams, but he kept the shutout in tact.
Alex Rubanowitz helped the Highlanders tack on an insurance run in the top of the seventh plating Gonzalez for UCR's fifth run of the day.
Mark Garcia relieved Patito to start the eighth giving up an unearned run, and Ben Doucette did likewise in the ninth for the final 5-2 decision.
UC Riverside returns home this week for a three-game, Big West Conference series with Cal State Northridge. First pitch Friday at the Riverside Sports Complex is 6 pm PT.
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