Baseball Allows Pair In Bottom Of Tenth, Falls 8-7 At Texas State

Saturday, February 22

San Marcos, TX

1:00 pm

UC Riverside

3-3

Texas State

4-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UC Riverside	2	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	7	15	3
Texas State	2	0	1	0	2	0	1	0	0	2	8	12	1

Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta

Baseball Allows Pair In Bottom Of Tenth, Falls 8-7 At Texas State

2/22/2014 5:37:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

San Marcos, TX—The UC Riverside Baseball Team never trailed in regulation Saturday afternoon, but Texas State scored two runs in the bottom of the tenth inning to escape with an 8-7 victory over the Highlanders (box score).

One day after collecting just four hits the entire game, UC Riverside (3-3) matched that total by the end of the first inning Saturday as Francisco Tellez, Devyn Bolasky, Thomas Walker and Mark Contreras all singled in the top of the first to stake UC Riverside to a 2-0 lead.

That lead was short-lived, however, as Ben Doucette allowed a lead-off walk to Cody Lovejoy, hit Matt Smith with a pitch, and gave up a single to left-center off the bat of Garrett Mattlage. Both Lovejoy and Smith scored on the play as Devyn Bolasky bobbled the ball in the outfield.

UC Riverside jumped on top again in the top of the second as Drake Zarate singled up the middle, Joe Chavez singled through the left side, and Tellez doubled to left center making it 4-2 Highlanders. Texas State (4-2) put a pair of runners on in the bottom of the inning, but Doucette worked his way out of the jam.

Bobcats' starter Taylor Black settled down in the third retiring the side in order, and his offense picked him up the next inning with a pair of doubles from Smith and Tanner Hill that cut the UCR advantage in half.

Black faced the minimum three batters in the top of the fourth, and the Bobcats put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the frame. That ended Doucette's day as relief pitcher Angel Landuzari came in from the bullpen to roll a double-play grounder to end the inning.

The Highlanders created some more breathing room for themselves in the top of the fifth. Tellez beat out an infield single for his third base knock of the game, and moved to second on a Bolasky groundout. A passed ball advanced Tellez 90 feet, and a David Andriese ground out made it 5-3 UC Riverside.

Once again, the lead was short-lived as the UCR defense committed two errors to start the bottom of the fifth, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. A walk loaded the bases, and one out later, Colby Targun's sac fly cut the lead to one, and Cory Geisler's single to right tied the scored at five.

Nick Vilter led off the top of the sixth with a solo shot to left for his third home run of the year. The junior had just two career home runs entering the season.

The score remained 6-5 Highlanders until the bottom of the seventh when the Bobcats strung together a walk and two singles to tie the score for the third time.

Neither team scored the rest of the way in regulation, and they went into extra innings. UC Riverside regained the lead yet again as Vilter opened the frame with a triple to right center, and pinch-hitter Matt Ellis singled him home for a 7-6 lead.

Highlanders closer Jordan Kron (0-1) entered the game in the bottom of the eighth, but in the 10th he allowed a single, a sac bunt and a walk to put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. After a ground out to first moved both runners up 90 feet, pinch hitter Granger Studdard came to the plate with two outs. The freshman ripped an 0-1 offering through the left side scoring two to give the Bobcats the 8-7 come-from-behind win.

UC Riverside and Texas State complete their three-game series on Sunday, February 23. First pitch is slated for 11 am PT.