Box Score Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team jumped out to a 2-0 lead Wednesday evening, but visiting Bakersfield scored three in the fifth to take the lead, and four in the eighth and two in the ninth to wrap up a 9-3 victory over the Highlanders.
UC Riverside (7-10) scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the second as Adonis Morrison drew a lead-off walk, and Robby Witt doubled to left center to put runners on second and third. Mark Contreras then beat out an infield single to first putting the Highlanders up 1-0. Unfortunately, that was all UC Riverside could muster in the frame as Cody Sporrer grounded into a double play, and Matthew Ellis struck out to end the inning.
The Roadrunners (10-7) put runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings, but UCR starter Joie Dunyon kept them off the board in each instance.
UC Riverside doubled up its lead by plating another run in the bottom of the fourth. Morrison was the catalyst once again leading off the inning with a single through the left side. A Witt ground out moved him to second, and Morrison advanced to third on a fly ball to center by Contreras. Sporerr's single to right made it 2-0 Highlanders.
Dunyon worked a scoreless third and fourth as well, but he ran into trouble with two outs in the top of the fifth. David Metzgar singled to right center, and Joey Sanchez drew a walk. That brought a visit from Head Coach Troy Percival to the mound, but Dunyon walked the next batter on four straight pitches.
That ended Dunyon's night as Gabe Gentner came out of the pen, and he induced a hard ground ball to second off the bat of Chance Gusbeth. The ball rolled through Alex Rubanowitz's legs though, and the error allowed two runs to score. With runners on first and third, Gusbeth stole second, and Ryan Grotjohn hit a tough grounder to second beating the throw to first. That scored Soloman Williams from third, but the Highlanders threw out Gusbeth at the plate to end the inning.
The Highlanders battled back in their half of the fifth as Drake Zarate singled with nobody out, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored in a Rubanowitz single to right.
It remained a 3-3 ballgame until the top of the eighth when the 'Runners exploded for four runs off of a pair of UCR relievers. Jared Morton took the loss allowing two runs in his 1.2 innings of work. Morton only allowed one hit during his time on the hill, but he walked a pair as well. Jordan Kron pitched the final 1.1 innings and was touched or six hits and four runs, three of which were earned.
Max Carter (2-0) pitched the final three innings for Bakersfield allowing just one hit to pick up his second win of the season.
The Highlanders remain at home this weekend hosting North Dakota for a three-game series beginning Friday, March 13 at 6 pm PT.
