Seattle, WA – The UC Riverside Baseball Team (3-4) closed out its three-game series at Washington (4-3) on Sunday, using three late runs to earn a 6-3 win.
Senior right-hander Jared Morton (1-0) earned his first win of the season after entering the game for freshman Cole Percival with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Morton gave up just three hits and no runs in just under four innings on the mound, maintaining his perfect 0.00 ERA for the season.
Trailing 3-2 in the top of the sixth, shortstop Colby Schultz tied things up at three runs apiece. After initially being walked, the senior made it home from first on a double down the left field line by junior right fielder Dean Miller.
All knotted at 3-3, the Highlanders took the lead in the top of the eighth with a pair of runs. Freshman Nathan Webb opened up the inning with a double to left, but he would make it to third on a Husky fielding error on the following at bat by junior Justin Mannens.
Another Washington error on Schultz' next at bat allowed Webb to score the go-ahead run, making it 4-3. Mannens would score an unearned run later in the inning on a Washington double-play.
With two runners on in the top of the ninth, junior catcher Anthony Lepre singled up the middle for his second RBI of the day, bringing senior Cody Sporrer home, giving the Highlanders a 6-3 advantage.
Junior righty Jared Noonan took over pitching duties entering the final inning, but was replaced by sophomore Connor Cannon after the Huskies loaded the bases with two singles and a walk. Cannon struck out the first batter he faced, and with two outs on the board, got Washington's final batter to foul out, sealing the win and earning his first career save.
The Highlanders' first two runs of the day came in the top of the third, as senior AJ Sawyer and Lepre opened the inning with back-to-back doubles, scoring a run for Sawyer. Singles by Mannens and Schultz would bring Lepre home to give UCR the early 2-1 lead.
With four hits and two runs in the third, the Highlanders enjoyed their best offensive inning of the weekend. For the game, they had 7 hits for the second consecutive outing, also setting a new season-high in doubles (4).
UC Riverside will return to action this Tuesday, Feb. 27 as it opens its 2018 home schedule with UNLV at 3:00 p.m. at Riverside Sports Complex.
