Box Score Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team banged out 16 hits and scored nine runs Friday evening, but a nine-run top of the fifth helped visiting CSU Bakersfield to a, 15-9, victory at The Plex.

Both teams' starters struggled a bit early, as the 'Runners scored single runs in the first and the second off of UCR starter Hazahel Quijada, and the Highlanders (10-7) plated four runs in the first three innings against CSU Bakersfield's Max Carter.

Quijada settled down shortly thereafter, putting zeroes on the board in the third and fourth. He ran into trouble in the top of the fifth, however, as the Runners loaded the bases with no outs, causing Head Coach Troy Percival to make the call to the bullpen. Unfortunately, it was not the last time Coach Percival would make that call in the fifth.

By the time the dust settled, Bakersfield (9-4) had sent 13 men to the plate, had 11 straight reach base, and plated nine runs against four UC Riverside pitchers, to lead 11-4.

The Runners scored two more runs in the top of the seventh, and appeared to have the game in hand, as they took a 13-4 lead into the bottom of the eighth.

Andrew Hansen, who tossed a scoreless seventh in relief of Carter, wasn't nearly as effective in the eighth. He recorded just two outs in the frame, and allowed five runs, only two of which were earned. Colby Schultz struck the big blow of the inning, ripping a two-run homer run over the right field wall.

CSU Bakersfield tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth to increase their lead to six, 15-9, and although the Highlanders put runners on first and second with one out, Isaac Meza was able to close out the game for the Roadrunners.

Quijada took the loss to fall to 2-2 on the season, while Carter was credited with the win, and improved to 3-0.

The Highlanders and Roadrunners play game two of their three-game series on Saturday, beginning at 6 pm PT.