Tempe, AZ – In a rematch with Nebraska (2-1) Saturday afternoon at Tempe Diablo Stadium, the UC Riverside Baseball Team (2-1) picked up its second 8-1 win in as many days, led defensively by pitcher Cole Percival. The freshman finished with 8 strikeouts, giving up just 1 hit and 1 run in his Highlander debut.

Three different Highlanders ended the day with 2 RBIs, including junior catcher Anthony Lepre, who helped open the scoring with an RBI in both the third and fifth innings.

Freshman third baseman Nathan Webb scratched first in the bottom of the third, scoring on a Lepre single to right field. A sac fly by Lepre in the bottom of the fifth would bring junior left fielder Ian Nowak home to double UCR's lead at 2-0.

Nebraska would find itself in a promising position with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth. Scott Schreiber scored to make it 2-1 after teammate Alex Henwood was hit by a pitch, but the Cornhuskers would leave three of their eight total runners on base to end the inning.

The Highlanders would enjoy their best inning of the day in the sixth, starting with a Dean Miller double down the left field line to give senior shortstop Colby Schultz his only run of the day. Shortly after, sophomore Connor Cannon knocked a two-run homer to left field, also bringing home Miller to make it 5-1.

That was Cannon's second home run of the season-opening weekend, giving him a Big West-leading 7 RBIs through three games.

UC Riverside tacked on another run in the seventh, as junior center fielder Justin Mannens scored off a Schultz single to give UCR a 6-1 advantage.

Nowak would put the game to bed in the bottom of the eighth, homering to left field to record his second run of the day and help give freshman left fielder Cole Pofek his first career run.

In his first career start, Cole Percival (1-0) pitched just under six innings, giving up the Cornhuskers' only earned run of the day while striking out eight. Senior pitcher Jared Morton would step onto the mound for the final three innings, striking out three and earning his first save of the season.

The Highlanders will close out the opening weekend in a rematch with Washington State tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.