Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team picked up its fourth come-from-behind victory of the young season, Sunday, erasing a two-run deficit to take a 5-2 decision over visiting Holy Cross.
The win improved the Highlanders' record to 7-3 on the season, which is the program's best 10-game start to a campaign since 2010, when they also won seven of their first 10 decisions.
Highlanders starter Hazahel Quijada struggled with his command in the early going, walking the first two batters of the game on 10 pitches. A sac bunt moved both runners up 90 feet, and Anthony Critelli brought both base runners home with a double to left.
Quijada (2-0) worked out of that jam, and retired the Crusaders in order in the top of the second. But Holy Cross (0-6) threatened again in the third putting runners on the corners with two outs before Quijada struck out Bill Schlich on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
Meanwhile, the Highlanders were having difficulty solving Holy Cross starter Brendan King, who retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced. The lone player to reach during that stretch was AJ Sawyer, who did so thanks to a fielding error by third baseman Alex Volpi, with one out in the third.
King recorded the first two outs of the fourth as well, but Aaron Cisneros drew a seven-pitch walk, and freshman Connor "Big Country" Cannon tied the score with a two-run home run over the left field wall.
After the Crusaders went in order in the top of the fifth, the Highlanders took the lead in their half of the inning. Aj Sawyer lifted a one-out single to center, and promptly stole second. Steven Mercado II drew a walk, and Colby Schultz doubled down the right field line to make it 3-2 UC Riverside. Tony Gudino traded places with Schultz with a double to center to give the Highlanders a three-run lead, 5-2.
Quijada gave up a lead-off double to start the top of the sixth, and Head Coach Troy Percival turned the game over to freshman reliever Daniel Martinez. The right-hander faced the minimum 12 batters over his four scoreless innings to earn the save.
The Highlanders and Crusaders play game three of their four-game series on Monday beginning at 6 pm PT.
