Sunday, April 28
1:00 PM
UC Riverside
8
vs
5
UC Santa Barbara
Photo by: UCR Athletics Media Relations
Baseball Picks Up Career Head Coaching Win #250 For Doug Smith In 8-5 Victory Over UCSB
4/28/2013 5:14:00 PM | Baseball
Riverside—It took longer then they had hoped, but the UC Riverside Baseball Team finally presented Doug Smith with career head coaching victory number 250 Sunday afternoon as they snapped a seven-game losing streak with an 8-5 win over visiting UC Santa Barbara (Box Score/Video Recap).
After dropping the first two games of the series, the Highlanders needed a win to climb back into the Big West race, as their next two conference series are against nationally ranked Cal Poly and Cal State Fullerton.
They got some help early thanks to a Gauchos defensive miscue, and some wildness from starter Cameron Cuneo. Cuneo was making his first start of the season after throwing just 7.2 innings in eight appearances out of the bullpen, and the first two batters reached on an infield single and a walk.
The next batter, Clayton Prestridge, lifted a high fly ball in foul territory down the left field line. Left fielder Joey Epperson drifted over and had the ball in his sites, but it popped out of his glove for an error extending Prestridge's at bat. Cuneo walked Prestridge to load the bases before striking out David Andriese for the first out of the inning.
He then plunked Phil Holinsworth bringing home the Highlanders first run of the game. An RBI ground out by Kevin Davidson made it 2-0 UC Riverside, and Nick Vilter drew a walk to once again load the bases.
They didn't remain loaded for long as Alex Rubanowitz doubled down the right field line scoring all three base runners and staking Highlanders starter Zach Varela (3-0) to a 5-0 lead.
Varela retired the side in order in the top of the first, but the Gauchos got a single run back in the second stringing together three hits, the last of which came off the bat of Luke Swenson and scored Robby Nesovic.
It remained a 5-1 ballgame until the top of the fifth. Mark Garcia relieved Varela to start the frame, and got the first two outs of the inning on fly balls to right field. But Brandon Trinkwon and Woody Woodard both singled to center, and Tyler Kuresa made it a one-run game with one swing of the bat has his third home run of the season sailed over the right field wall.
Both teams had scoring opportunities in the later innings with the Highlanders leaving two men on base in the bottom of the fifth, and two in the bottom of the seventh, and the Gauchos stranding a pair in the top of the sixth and one in the seventh.
UC Riverside finally tacked on some much needed insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Rubanowitz singled through the right side to lead off the inning, and moved to second on a sac bunt by Bart Steponvich. The home crowd thought that Steponovich beat the throw to first, but despite his best effort Coach Smith was unable to convince the first base umpire.
It ultimately didn't matter, though, as Chavez tripled to center scoring Rubanowitz, and Cody Hough doubled to center to put the Highlanders up 7-4. A wild pitch moved Hough to third, and he scored two batters later on a sac fly by Andriese.
Trevor Frank, who came on in relief in the top of the sixth, gave up a single run in the top of the ninth, but he struck out Nesovic to end the game for his ninth save of the season.
The Highlanders hit the road this week for a Tuesday afternoon game at UNLV (3 pm PT) and a three-game Big West series at Cal Poly.
After dropping the first two games of the series, the Highlanders needed a win to climb back into the Big West race, as their next two conference series are against nationally ranked Cal Poly and Cal State Fullerton.
They got some help early thanks to a Gauchos defensive miscue, and some wildness from starter Cameron Cuneo. Cuneo was making his first start of the season after throwing just 7.2 innings in eight appearances out of the bullpen, and the first two batters reached on an infield single and a walk.
The next batter, Clayton Prestridge, lifted a high fly ball in foul territory down the left field line. Left fielder Joey Epperson drifted over and had the ball in his sites, but it popped out of his glove for an error extending Prestridge's at bat. Cuneo walked Prestridge to load the bases before striking out David Andriese for the first out of the inning.
He then plunked Phil Holinsworth bringing home the Highlanders first run of the game. An RBI ground out by Kevin Davidson made it 2-0 UC Riverside, and Nick Vilter drew a walk to once again load the bases.
They didn't remain loaded for long as Alex Rubanowitz doubled down the right field line scoring all three base runners and staking Highlanders starter Zach Varela (3-0) to a 5-0 lead.
Varela retired the side in order in the top of the first, but the Gauchos got a single run back in the second stringing together three hits, the last of which came off the bat of Luke Swenson and scored Robby Nesovic.
It remained a 5-1 ballgame until the top of the fifth. Mark Garcia relieved Varela to start the frame, and got the first two outs of the inning on fly balls to right field. But Brandon Trinkwon and Woody Woodard both singled to center, and Tyler Kuresa made it a one-run game with one swing of the bat has his third home run of the season sailed over the right field wall.
Both teams had scoring opportunities in the later innings with the Highlanders leaving two men on base in the bottom of the fifth, and two in the bottom of the seventh, and the Gauchos stranding a pair in the top of the sixth and one in the seventh.
UC Riverside finally tacked on some much needed insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Rubanowitz singled through the right side to lead off the inning, and moved to second on a sac bunt by Bart Steponvich. The home crowd thought that Steponovich beat the throw to first, but despite his best effort Coach Smith was unable to convince the first base umpire.
It ultimately didn't matter, though, as Chavez tripled to center scoring Rubanowitz, and Cody Hough doubled to center to put the Highlanders up 7-4. A wild pitch moved Hough to third, and he scored two batters later on a sac fly by Andriese.
Trevor Frank, who came on in relief in the top of the sixth, gave up a single run in the top of the ninth, but he struck out Nesovic to end the game for his ninth save of the season.
The Highlanders hit the road this week for a Tuesday afternoon game at UNLV (3 pm PT) and a three-game Big West series at Cal Poly.
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