Sunday, May 12
1:00 PM
UC Riverside
7
vs
6
Cal State Fullerton
Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta
Baseball Holds On For 7-6 Win Over Fourth-Ranked Cal State Fullerton
5/12/2013 5:05:00 PM | Baseball
Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team jumped out to an early 6-0 lead Sunday afternoon, and held on for a 7-6 victory over fourth-ranked Cal State Fullerton (Box Score/Video Recap).
One day after the Titans (41-8, 17-4) scored six runs in the first inning, it was UCR's turn to put a crooked number on the board in the first. The first six Highlanders to the plate all reached via a base hit, and the seventh drew a walk as UC Riverside took a 5-0 lead after one inning of play.
The Highlanders (11-28, 8-13) tacked on another run in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI groundout by Clayton Prestridge. Joe Chavez, who walked, moved to second on an error, and stole third, scored on the play.
Meanwhile, UC Riverside starter Zach Varela (4-0) kept the Titans guessing, giving up just one hit through his first three innings of work.
Fullerton's offense finally woke up in the top of the fourth thanks to a pair of singles and an error by second baseman Alex Rubanowitz which made it 6-1 UCR.
The Highlanders got the run back the next half inning, though, as Chavez led off the frame with a triple to right center, and scored on a Prestridge ground out to short.
Varela retired the side in order in the top of the fifth, but the reliever turned starter began to tire in the sixth. JD Davis drew a one-out walk, and scored one batter later thanks to an Anthony Hutting double to left center field. Jake Jefferies then singled to center to cut the lead in half, causing UC Riverside Head Coach Doug Smith to make the call to the bullpen to bring in Mark Garcia. The left-hander then got pinch hitter Greg Valezquez to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
The Titans inched closer over the next two innings pushing a run across in the top of the seventh thanks to an RBI ground out by Matt Chapman. UC Riverside closer Trevor Frank came on in relief with one out in the inning, and in the eighth he gave up RBI base hits to Jefferies and Chad Wallach which sliced the UCR advantage to one, 7-6.
As hot as the Highlanders offense was at the start of the game, the team's colelctive bats went just as cold as soon as relief pitcher Tyler Peitzmeier entered the game in the fifth. The sophomore lefty allowed just three hits over three-and-two-thirds innings of work to keep the Titans in the game.
It was Frank's game to win or lose in the ninth, and the Titans opened the inning with back-to-back singles to put the tying and go-ahead runs on with nobody out. Fullerton handed the Highlanders their first out of the inning as the Titans had clean-up hitter Davis—he of the .323 batting average and .443 slugging percentage—attempt to lay down a sac bunt. His third offering popped the ball up down the third base line into foul territory, and Chavez caught the ball for out number one.
The next batter, Lorenzen, reached on an infield single as Nick Vilter fielded his grounder deep in the hole to short, but had no play. That brought Hutting to the plate with the bases loaded, and Frank struck him out looking for the second out of the inning. Jefferies followed with a fly ball to center to end the game, and snap the Highlanders seven-game losing streak.
The Highlanders remain at home this Tuesday as they host San Diego for a 6 pm PT first pitch at The Plex. They then travel to Long Beach State over the weekend for a three-game Big West Conference series with the 49ers.
One day after the Titans (41-8, 17-4) scored six runs in the first inning, it was UCR's turn to put a crooked number on the board in the first. The first six Highlanders to the plate all reached via a base hit, and the seventh drew a walk as UC Riverside took a 5-0 lead after one inning of play.
The Highlanders (11-28, 8-13) tacked on another run in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI groundout by Clayton Prestridge. Joe Chavez, who walked, moved to second on an error, and stole third, scored on the play.
Meanwhile, UC Riverside starter Zach Varela (4-0) kept the Titans guessing, giving up just one hit through his first three innings of work.
Fullerton's offense finally woke up in the top of the fourth thanks to a pair of singles and an error by second baseman Alex Rubanowitz which made it 6-1 UCR.
The Highlanders got the run back the next half inning, though, as Chavez led off the frame with a triple to right center, and scored on a Prestridge ground out to short.
Varela retired the side in order in the top of the fifth, but the reliever turned starter began to tire in the sixth. JD Davis drew a one-out walk, and scored one batter later thanks to an Anthony Hutting double to left center field. Jake Jefferies then singled to center to cut the lead in half, causing UC Riverside Head Coach Doug Smith to make the call to the bullpen to bring in Mark Garcia. The left-hander then got pinch hitter Greg Valezquez to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
The Titans inched closer over the next two innings pushing a run across in the top of the seventh thanks to an RBI ground out by Matt Chapman. UC Riverside closer Trevor Frank came on in relief with one out in the inning, and in the eighth he gave up RBI base hits to Jefferies and Chad Wallach which sliced the UCR advantage to one, 7-6.
As hot as the Highlanders offense was at the start of the game, the team's colelctive bats went just as cold as soon as relief pitcher Tyler Peitzmeier entered the game in the fifth. The sophomore lefty allowed just three hits over three-and-two-thirds innings of work to keep the Titans in the game.
It was Frank's game to win or lose in the ninth, and the Titans opened the inning with back-to-back singles to put the tying and go-ahead runs on with nobody out. Fullerton handed the Highlanders their first out of the inning as the Titans had clean-up hitter Davis—he of the .323 batting average and .443 slugging percentage—attempt to lay down a sac bunt. His third offering popped the ball up down the third base line into foul territory, and Chavez caught the ball for out number one.
The next batter, Lorenzen, reached on an infield single as Nick Vilter fielded his grounder deep in the hole to short, but had no play. That brought Hutting to the plate with the bases loaded, and Frank struck him out looking for the second out of the inning. Jefferies followed with a fly ball to center to end the game, and snap the Highlanders seven-game losing streak.
The Highlanders remain at home this Tuesday as they host San Diego for a 6 pm PT first pitch at The Plex. They then travel to Long Beach State over the weekend for a three-game Big West Conference series with the 49ers.
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