Devyn Bolasky's Walk-Off, Three-Run Homer Gives Baseball 8-6 Win Over Grand Canyon

Tuesday, May 20

Riverside, CA

3:00 pm

UC Riverside

25-26

Grand Canyon

30-23

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Grand Canyon	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	12	1
UC Riverside	2	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	8	9	0

Photo by: Carlos Puma

Devyn Bolasky's Walk-Off, Three-Run Homer Gives Baseball 8-6 Win Over Grand Canyon

5/20/2014 8:07:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Riverside—One half inning after the Highlanders gave up a two-run lead on a three-run home run, Devyn Bolasky saved the day sending the home fans happy, with a three-run, walk-off home run of his own in the bottom of the ninth (listen to Ghizal Hasan's call). That blast gave the UC Riverside Baseball Team an 8-6 victory over visiting Grand Canyon.

Angel Landazuri and Cody Rogina combined the throw seven innings of shutout relief, and they handed a 5-3 lead to closer Kevin Sprague in the top of the ninth. After striking out Humberto Aranda, the number nine hitter, Jon Kealoha beat out an infield single to short. The Highlanders recorded the second out of the inning on a fielder's choice grounder by David Walker, but Paul Panaccione worked the count full before drawing a walk, and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate in the form of Chad De La Guerra,

De La Guerra ran the count to three and two, before depositing Sprague's next offering over the right center field fence, and giving the Antelopes a 6-5 lead.

Grand Canyon brought Jorge Perez out of the bulllpen to close out the game, Cody Hough greeted him with a double down the left field line, and Alex Rubanowitz dropped down a bunt single to put runners on the corners. Joe Chavez then hit a grounder to third, and Hough took off towards home. Ben Mauseth's throw to the plate was in time as the 'Lopes recorded the first out of the inning.

Bolasky stepped to the plate with runners on first and second, turning on a 0-1 pitch and depositing it in the trees over the right field wall. As the UC Riverside fight song echoed throughout The Plex, Bolasky rounded the basses and was mobbed by his teammates at home plate.

The win improved the Highlanders' record to 25-26, as they head to Hawai'i over the weekend for a three-game Big West series, looking to finish the season over .500, and with a winning record in conference.

UC Riverside and Grand Canyon both started relief pitchers Tuesday as Joey Wise made just his seventh appearances of the season for the Antelopes, and Donovan Gonzales took the mound for the fifth time for the Highlanders.

Wise began the game inauspiciously by plunking the lead off hitter, Chavez. Chavez stole second, and moved to third on a ground out to second by Bolasky before scoring on a Thomas Walker single to center. Walker took second on the play when Kealoha allowed the ball to get by him in center field.

One out later, Wise hit Francisco Tellez with a pitch to put runners on first and second, and Drake Zarate drew a walk to load the bases. Matt Ellis singled to right on a 1-2 offering scoring Walker, but Tellez was thrown out at the plate, and UC Riverside had to settle for a 2-0 lead,

Gonzales kept the Antelopes off the board in the top of the first, but he ran into trouble in the second. Josh Meyer led off the frame with a double to right enter, and stole third with Brandon Smith up to bat. Smith's single to right center scored Meyer to cut the Highlanders lead in half.

Charles Wagner followed with a walk, and Aranda singled to left center to load the bases. Head Coach Doug Smith made the call to the bullpen bringing in Landazuri, and Gonzales was greeted by a standing ovation as he exited the mound at The Plex for the final time.

Landazuri struck out Keloha for the first out of the inning, but David Walker's hot shot to third scored scored Smith to tie the game. A sac fly off the bat of Paul Panaccione put the 'Lopes on top, 3-2.

The Highlanders wasted no time in regaining the lead, as Hough led off the bottom of the second with a walk, and moved to second on an Alex Rubanowitz sacrifice bunt. Chavez then lifted a triple to right center to make it 3-3, and put the go-ahead run in scoring position. That ended Wise's day, as Jaren Dummond came out of the bullpen. Bolasky greeted him with a double down the left field line scoring Chavez.

Hough put the Highlanders up by two with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fourth as his solo shot cleared the Moss Brothers Auto Group sign in left field.

Landazuri's night ended after the sixth as he went five innings without allowing a run, giving up just four hits and striking out three. He was lifted in favor of Cody Rogina who pitched two innings of no-hit baseball, striking out three before turning the game over to Sprague.

Joie Dunyon (2-1) recorded the final out for the Highlanders to secure the win.