Cal Poly Continues Offensive Outburst In 15-9 Win Over Highlanders

Saturday, May 26

Riverside, CA

6:00 PM

UC Riverside

Cal Poly

Photo by: UCR Athletics Media Relations

Cal Poly Continues Offensive Outburst In 15-9 Win Over Highlanders

5/26/2012 7:55:00 PM | Baseball

Riverside—One day after banging out 16 hits in a 11-2 win over the Highlanders, Cal Poly continued its offensive outburst Saturday with 16 base knocks in a 15-9 victory.

The Mustangs (35-20, 15-8) scored single runs in the first and second innings before erupting for eight in the top of the third. The first nine Cal Poly batters reached base in the frame as UC Riverside starter Trevor Frank's (2-8) night ended without recording an out in the inning.

Mark Garcia took over for Frank and worked his way out of the inning, but in the top of the fifth the Mustangs put four more on the board to chase the left-hander and take a 14-0 lead.

In the meantime, Mustangs starter Kyle Anderson (10-1) scattered just three hits through the first five innings of play. The Highlanders (22-31, 9-14) finally got to him in the bottom of the sixth as defensive replacement AJ Beckley beat out an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by Cal Poly third baseman Jimmy Allen. Vince Gonzalez then singled down the right field line to put the Highlanders on the board.

Nick Grim took over for Anderson to start the seventh, and he opened the door for UC Riverside to climb back into the ballgame. After Kevin Davidson struck out to start the inning, Grim walked the next two hitters and gave up singles to Bart Steponovich and Eddie Young for the Highlanders second run of the game.

A wild pitch scored Alex Rubanowitz from third, and Beckley loaded the bases again with a walk. That ended Grim's evening and brought Danny Zandona out of the pen. Zandona got Gonzalez to fly out to center for the second out of the inning, but Clayton Prestridge singled to right to make it a 14-5 lead, and Devyn Bolasky doubled to left to cut the Mustangs lead to seven.

Cal Poly got one back in the top of the eighth of of the Highlanders' fourth pitcher of the evening, Antonoi Gonzales.

Michael Holback took the mound for the Mustangs in the bottom of the eighth, and the Highlanders threatened again loading the bases with two outs for Gonzalez. The senior infielder laced a single up the middle scoring two for the final runs of the game.

The Highlanders and Mustangs conclude the regular season on Sunday, May 27. First pitch at the Riverside Sports Complex is at 1 pm, and UCR will honors its senior class prior to the game.