San Diego, CA—The UC Riverside Baseball Team jumped out to a 2-0 lead Wednesday evening over San Diego, but the Toreros scored the next 15 runs of the game en route to a 15-2 victory.
For the second straight game, the Highlanders (10-24) offense staked its starter to an early lead plating a pair of runs in the top of the first, as Vince Fernandez clubbed his fifth home run of the season over the right field wall scoring Austin Colvin from first.
That lead was short-lived, however.
Cody Rogina, who threw seven innings of four-hit relief against UC Irvine on Friday (
box score/
recap), walked the first two batters he faced Wednesday, and loaded the bases one out later by plunking Jesse Jenner. A third walk brought home the Toreros first run of the game, and a Riley Adams sac fly tied the score. Aidan Stinnett then cleared the bases with a three-run shot to right, putting San Diego up 5-2.
Rogina (0-2) settled down in the second and third rolling 4-6-3 double plays to end both innings, but struggled with his control again in the fourth. He retired the first two batters, but Grant Melker reached on an infield single to short, moving to third on a wild pitch and a balk. Rogina issued another walk to Bryson Brigman, and Kyle Holder singled up the middle to put the Toreros up by four. Colton Waltner then singled to center to make it 7-2 San Diego (18-13).
Meanwhile, Jacob Hill (5-2) allows just two more hits from the second through the fifth inning. In the sixth, he gave way to Taylor Kaczmarek who pitched two perfect innings before handing the game over to CJ Burdick in the eighth.
Keaton Leach, Gabe Gentner and Jordan Kron each pitched a scoreless inning from the fifth through the seventh, but the Toreros touched Ryan Lillie for eight runs in the ninth for the final margin of victory.
The Highlanders are off for the next nine days before heading to Long Beach State for a three-game series at Long Beach State from April 17-19.
