Fullerton, CA—The UC Riverside Baseball Team's bats were silenced for a second straight day, Saturday, as the top team in the Big West Conference, Cal State Fullerton, held them to six hits in a 6-2 defeat.
The night before, the Highlanders recorded just five hits in a 2-1 loss to the Titans, who now lead the conference by a game-and-a-half over second place UC Santa Barbara.
| Big West Baseball Standings |
| Team |
W |
L |
| Cal State Fullerton |
11 |
4 |
| UC Santa Barbara |
9 |
5 |
| Long Beach State * |
9 |
7 |
| Cal Poly |
7 |
7 |
| UC Riverside |
7 |
7 |
| Hawai'i * |
8 |
8 |
| UC Irvine |
7 |
8 |
| CSUN |
6 |
11 |
| UC Davis |
3 |
11 |
| * LBSU vs. Hawai'i at 9 pm PT Saturday |
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UC Riverside starter Keaton Leach (1-1) retired the Titans in order in the first, but Dalton Blaser led off the second with a double to center field. Jerrod Bravo laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Blaser to third, but Highlanders' third baseman Michael Farris's throw to first was off the mark, which allowed Bravo to go to second, and Blaser to score. Leach retired the next two Titans, but Jake Pavletich singled to left scoring Bravo with Cal State Fullerton's second run of the game.
It remained a 2-0 ballgame until the bottom of the fifth. Hank LoForte led off the inning by beating out an infield single, and promptly stole second. Leach struck out Josh Vargas and got Timmy Richards to ground out to third, and was on the verge of getting out of the jam. After intentionally walking Tanner Pinkston to set up the force at second and third, Leach gave up a single to center to Blaser to make it 2-0 Fullerton. Bravo singled to center as well plating a pair to put the Titans up five.
Meanwhile, the Highlanders loaded the bases with one out in the to of the third, but a double play grounder ended the scoring threat. They finally got to Fullerton starter John Gavin (4-2) in the top of the sixth as Austin Colvin singled, and moved to third on a pair of ground outs. Gavin then uncorked a wild pitch to make it a 5-1 game.
The Titans got the run back in their half of the sixth, taking advantage of a one-out walk to Tyler Steib. LoForte singled to center advancing Steib to second, and Josh Vargas singled through the right side scoring Steib.
Colvin played a roll in the Highlanders' second run of the game as his bases-loaded, fielder's choice in the top of the seventh scored Colby Schultz to once again reduce the Cal State Fullerton lead to four, 6-2.
Dylan Prohoroff tossed back-to-back, 1-2-3 innings in the eighth and ninth for the Titans to secure the win.
UC Riverside and Cal State Fullerton finish their three-game series on Sunday beginning at 1 pm PT.
