UC Riverside Baseball Drops 6-2 Decision At UC Santa Barbara

Friday, April 25

Santa Barbara, CA

3:00 pm

UC Riverside

17-19, 6-4

UC Santa Barbara

25-10, 6-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UC Riverside	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	5	1
UC Santa Barbara	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	0	X	6	6	0

Photo by: Carlos Puma

UC Riverside Baseball Drops 6-2 Decision At UC Santa Barbara

4/25/2014 6:09:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Santa Barbara, CA—The UC Riverside Baseball Team was trying to extend its conference winning streak to four games, Friday, and solidify its hold on third place in the Big West, but UC Santa Barbara scored six runs on just six hits en route to a 6-2 victory over the Highlanders (Box Score).

UC Riverside (17-19, 6-4) starter Jake Smigelski struggled with his command early on going to a three-ball count on lead-off hitter Woody Woodward before plunking him and sending him to first. Peter Maris followed with a triple to right center scoring Woodward. After Joey Epperson popped up to second, Tyler Kuresa hit a sac fly to center scoring Epperson and putting the Gauchos up 2-0.

Smigelski (5-5) settled down after that retiring 15 straight batters before Jackson Morrow led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk. A Woodward sac bunt moved Morrow to second, and a Maris single to left made it a 3-0 ballgame.

Justin Jacome (5-1) was matching Smigelski pitch for pitch allowing just two hits through the first six innings. He ran out of steam in the seventh, however, giving up a bunt single to Thomas Walker to start the frame, and walking Matt Ellis to put runners on first and second.

Shuyo Chang laid down a sac bunt that advanced both runners into scoring postition, and the Gauchos brought in Greg Mahie from the bullpen. Cody Hough lifted a sac fly to right to put the Highlanders on the board, and a Joe Chavez infield single sliced the UC Santa Barbara advantage to one.

Unfortunately the Gauchos (25-10, 6-7) got both runs back in the bottom of the seventh. Smigelski walked Kuresa on four pitches before striking out Robby Nesovic. Andrew Calica then singled to center to put runners on the corners. Calica stole second, and Billy Fredrick's fly ball to left was deep enough to score Kuresa. Cameron Newell then singled to right scoring Calica pushing the UCSB lead back out to three.

That also ended Smigelski's day as Dylan Stuart came on in relief. Morrow reached on a bunt single, but Stuart's throw was wide of the mark and Newell was able to score all the way from first for the final 6-2 margin of victory.

The Highlanders and Gauchos play game two of their three-game series no Saturday beginning at 2 pm PT.