Las Vegas, NV—Jesus Gonzalez gave the Highlanders six-innings of two-hit baseball Tuesday afternoon, but the bullpen couldn't hold the lead as the UC Riverside Baseball Team dropped a 5-4 decision at UNLV.

Entering the game, Gonzalez had an earned run average of 7.94 including an 8.68 ERA in three games as a starter. But he took a no-hitter into the fifth, and didn't allow a runner into scoring position in his six-plus innings of work.

The UC Riverside offense, meanwhile staked Gonzalez to a 2-0 lead thanks to a sac fly by AJ Sawyer in the top of the second, and an Austin Colvin RBI double in the fifth.

Gonzalez started to the seventh, but his third pitch of the inning hit Erik VanMeetren, and Head Coach Troy Percival made the call to the pen, bringing in Jared Morton. Morton gave up a single to Dylan Ellis before getting the first out of the inning on a pop up to the pitcher by A.J. Hernandez.

Morgan Stotts followed with a single up the middle scoring Van Meetren from second, slicing the Highlanders lead in half. The next batter, A.J. VanMeetren, turned on a 2-1 offering, driving it over the right field fence to put the Rebels on top, 4-2.

Max Compton took over for Morton, recording the final two outs of the inning, and the UCR offense tied the game up in the top of the eighth. Vince Fernandez's double to right center scored Austin Colvin, and AJ Sawyer's double-play ground out plated pinch runner Casey Sheehan to pull the Highlanders even.

Compton retired the Rebels in order in the bottom of the eighth, and struck out Nick Rodriguez for the first out of the ninth, but then allowed a single to Stotts and a double to AJ VanMeetren, putting the winning run 90 feet from home.

Ryan Lillie came on in relief to try and send the game into extra innings, but Anderson beat out an infield single to short, scoring Stotts with the game-winning run.

The Highlanders return home this weekend for a three-game series vs. Cal State Fullerton. First pitch Friday at The Plex is at 6 pm PT.