Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team jumped out to an 8-3 lead over Holy Cross Saturday afternoon, but after the Crusaders closed to within 9-8, the Highlanders turned to closer Ryan Lillie to toss a scoreless ninth and slam the door on the team's sixth win of the year.

Angel Landazuri (1-1) picked up the win for the Highlanders, going six innings and allowing four earned runs. UC Riverside's offense staked him to an early lead plating one run in the first and four in the second.

Matt Hardy came up with the big blow, blasting a two run home run in the bottom of the second to put the Highlanders (6-3) on top for good. It was his first long ball of the season.

UC Riverside led 8-3 through five innings, but that is when the Crusaders (0-5) began to mount their comeback. Holy Cross scored two in the top of the sixth, and after the Highlanders got one back in their half of the inning, Landazuri was lifted in favor of Devin McKesson.

The sophomore faced the minimum three hitters in the top of the seventh, and retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth. Number nine hitter Alex Gionis laced a double down the left field line, and Josh Hassell walked on four straight pitches.

Austin Masel's single to right enter plated Gionis, and sent UCR Head Coach Troy Percival back to his bullpen for Jared Morton. A single and a throwing error cut the Highlanders lead to 9-8 before Morton worked his way out of the inning.

Lillie tossed a scoreless ninth to secure the win for the Highlanders, and pick up his fourth save of the season.

All nine of the Highlanders starters picked up at least one base hit in the game, and Hardy, Connor Cannon and Cade Peters each drove in two runs.

The Highlanders and Crusaders play game two of their four-game series on Sunday, March 5 beginning at 1 pm PT.