Sunday, May 19
1:00 PM
UC Riverside
4
at
5
Long Beach State
Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta
Baseball Gives Up Pair In Ninth, Loses 5-4 To Long Beach State In 10 Innings
5/19/2013 4:18:00 PM | Baseball
Long Beach, CA—The UC Riverside Baseball Team took a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth Sunday afternoon, but a fielding error with two outs in the inning allowed the tying run to score, and the Dirtbags scored in the bottom of the 10th to pick up the 5-4 victory (box score).
UCR starter Zach Varela threw six strong innings for the Highlanders (12-21, 8-16) allowing just five hits and a single run in six innings of work. He handed a 3-1 lead over to Trevor Frank (4-2) to start the seventh, and the UC Riverside closer gave a triple to Zack Belanger to start the frame. Two batters later, Colby Brenner beat out an infield single to first to cut the Highlanders lead in half.
Nick Vilter got the run back in the top of the eighth as his double to right scored Phil Holinsworth. Frank retired the Dirtbags (28-25, 14-10) in order in the bottom of the eighth, and UC Riverside appeared to have the win in hand as they sent him out for his third inning of work in the bottom of the ninth.
But Frank ran into trouble immediately giving up back-to-back singles to Eric Hutting and Belanger. Brennan Fulkerson then handed UCR the first out of the inning as his sac bunt moved both runners up 90 feet. The next batter, Brenner, grounded out to second base scoring Josh Guerra who pinch ran for Hutting.
With two outs and pinch runner Jeff Yamaguchi at third, Jeff McNeil hit a grounder to first for what should have been the third out of the inning. But first baseman Clayton Prestridge couldn't handle it, and the error allowed Yamaguchi to come home with the tying run.
Jon Maciel (2-5), who came on in relief to record the final out of the top of the ninth, retired the Highlanders in order in the top of the tenth.
Frank's fourth inning on the hill began with a ground out to first by Colton Vaughn, but Juan Avila, Ino Patron and Zack Rivera reached on three consecutive singles to give the Dirtbags a three-game sweep of the Highlanders.
UC Riverside concludes its 2013 regular season with a three-game Big West Conference series beginning Thursday at home against Hawai'i.
UCR starter Zach Varela threw six strong innings for the Highlanders (12-21, 8-16) allowing just five hits and a single run in six innings of work. He handed a 3-1 lead over to Trevor Frank (4-2) to start the seventh, and the UC Riverside closer gave a triple to Zack Belanger to start the frame. Two batters later, Colby Brenner beat out an infield single to first to cut the Highlanders lead in half.
Nick Vilter got the run back in the top of the eighth as his double to right scored Phil Holinsworth. Frank retired the Dirtbags (28-25, 14-10) in order in the bottom of the eighth, and UC Riverside appeared to have the win in hand as they sent him out for his third inning of work in the bottom of the ninth.
But Frank ran into trouble immediately giving up back-to-back singles to Eric Hutting and Belanger. Brennan Fulkerson then handed UCR the first out of the inning as his sac bunt moved both runners up 90 feet. The next batter, Brenner, grounded out to second base scoring Josh Guerra who pinch ran for Hutting.
With two outs and pinch runner Jeff Yamaguchi at third, Jeff McNeil hit a grounder to first for what should have been the third out of the inning. But first baseman Clayton Prestridge couldn't handle it, and the error allowed Yamaguchi to come home with the tying run.
Jon Maciel (2-5), who came on in relief to record the final out of the top of the ninth, retired the Highlanders in order in the top of the tenth.
Frank's fourth inning on the hill began with a ground out to first by Colton Vaughn, but Juan Avila, Ino Patron and Zack Rivera reached on three consecutive singles to give the Dirtbags a three-game sweep of the Highlanders.
UC Riverside concludes its 2013 regular season with a three-game Big West Conference series beginning Thursday at home against Hawai'i.
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