Riverside—UC Riverside's Austin Sodders and Long Beach State's Chris Mathewson delivered on their anticipated pitcher's duel Friday evening as the pair allowed a combined 10 hits through 11.2 innings. Neither hurler figured in the decision, however, as it took a Vince Fernandez RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to break a 3-3 tie and give the Highlanders a 4-3 victory over the Dirtbags.
Sodders didn't have his best stuff Friday, but he worked out of enough jams to keep the Highlanders in the ballgame, and giving the offense time to solve Mathewson. The Beach left two runners on base in the top of the second, and took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Daniel Jackson traded places with Luke Rasmussen thanks to an RBU double to left center. Long Beach State loaded the bases later in the inning, but Sodders got Joey Sanchez to ground out to short to end the threat.
The Dirtbags loaded the bases again in the top of the fifth, this time with no outs, but Sodders once again pitched the Highlanders out of harm's way to keep it a 1-0 game.
LBSU (21-15, 5-5) doubled its lead in the top of the sixth as David Banuelos sent a 1-0 Sodders offering over the wall in left center field.
Mathewson kept the Highlanders (16-10, 4-3) at bay through the first five innings, allowing just three hits, but UC Riverside finally solved the sophomore right-hander in the bottom half of the sixth. Mark Contreras drew a lead-off walk, and moved to second on a wild pitch. He scampered to third after Mathewson's pick off attempt made its into center field, and one out later, Vince Fernandez walked to put runners on the corners.
A fielder's choice ground out off the bat of Adonis Morrison scored Contreras, and Morrison advanced to second when second baseman Jarren Duran's throw sailed into the Dirtbags dugout. Austin Colvin and Aaron Cisneros followed with back-to-back singles to tie the score at two, and Colby Schultz reached on a fielding error by the first baseman Jackson which allowed Colvin to score the go-ahead run.
Alex Fagalde took over for Sodders in the seventh, tossing a scoreless frame, but in the eighth, Long Beach State touched him for a single, a double and a sacrifice fly tying the score at three.
It remained a 3-3 game into the bottom of the ninth. Casey Worden laced the first pitch he saw back up the middle and moved to second on a Drake Zarate sacrifice bunt. Matt Hardy was called upon to pinch run for Worden, and the Beach elected to intentionally walk Contreras. Pinch hitter Cody Sporrer struck out, bringing Fernandez to the plate. Long Beach State made its final move of the chess match bringing in Lucas Jacobson in from the pen, but Fernandez turned on the first pitch he saw and sent it deep to right field over the head of Zach Rivera.
Hardy came around to score, and the Highlanders spilled out of the dugout to mob Fernandez.
Ryan Lillie (4-2) was credited with the win pitching 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.
The Highlanders and Dirtbags play game two of their three-game Big West Conference series on Saturday, April 23 beginning at 6 pm PT.
