Riverside, CA — The UC Riverside Baseball Team (3-4) opens its 2018 home schedule on Tuesday as it hosts UNLV (7-1) at 3:00 p.m. at Riverside Sports Complex.
WASHINGTON THREE-GAME RECAP
After having its Friday game canceled due to weather, UC Riverside got out to a cold start in Seattle, dropping both games of Saturday's doubleheader against Washington, 8-0 and 5-2. The Highlanders would bounce back in the final game of the series on Sunday, breaking a tie game by scoring three runs in the final two innings to earn a 6-3 win. Senior shortstop Colby Schultz scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth and sophomore Connor Cannon picked up the final two outs of the game to earn his first career save.
BATTLING THE REBELS
The Highlanders play their first midweek game of the season Tuesday against a hot UNLV team that has won four straight and is 7-1 for the year. UC Riverside faced the Rebels twice in 2017, splitting a pair of close games with the Highlanders taking a slight 18-17 advantage in runs. UCR owns a 20-12 lead in the all-time series.
THE CANNON STRIKES
Sophomore Connor Cannon has gotten out to a fast start this season, ranking second in the Big West in home runs (3) and tied for third in RBI (9). More than half of those RBIs came in the Highlanders' 8-1 season-opening win over WSU, when Cannon tallied a career-high five, most coming on his first ever grand slam in the bottom of the seventh. The Riverside native also ranks 9th in the conference in both slugging percentage (.593) and total bases (16).
NO RUN ZONE
Right-handed pitcher Jared Morton is one just three Big West players to have a perfect 0.00 ERA in over eight innings pitched. The senior has appeared in four games this season – including all three of UC Riverside's wins – and is one of two Highlanders with a save.
COOL COLBY
2017 All-Big West Second Team selection Colby Schultz is off to a fine start in his senior season, leading the Highlanders in both hits (10) and runs (6). Schultz has a hit in six out of seven games and already has four multi-hit outings. Defensively, the shortstop has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and is second on the team in both assists (13) and double plays (4).
THE DEAN
Junior outfielder Dean Miller also had a strong opening weekend against Washington State and Nebraska, leading the team in batting average (.533), hits (8) and on base percentage (.588) in the Highlanders' first four games of the season. Through two weeks of play, he ranks second on the team in both hits (9) and RBI (5).
PERCIVAL DAZZLES IN DEBUT
Right-handed pitcher Cole Percival impressed many in his first career start on the mound, leading the Highlanders to an 8-1 victory over Nebraska in just under six innings pitched. The freshman struck out eight batters, giving up just one hit, one run, and a meager .056 opposing batting average to a team that had defeated UCR 8-3 less than 24 hours prior.
TWO OF A KIND
Percival's numbers have remained very close to redshirt sophomore righty Trenton Toplikar's through two starts each. Both pitchers have one win apiece, but Percival has the slight edge in innings pitched (10.0 to 9.2) and strikeouts (13 to 12). The pair are ranked 4th and 6th in the Big West, respectively, in the strikeout department.
SPORRER LOCKS UP
Senior second baseman Cody Sporrer leads UC Riverside in both assists (16) and double plays (5). Offensively, he has recorded at least one hit in five of seven outings.
DOUBLING DOWN
More than one-fifth of UC Riverside's 58 hits this season have been doubles (13, .224). That rate is second only to Hawaii (.236). The Highlanders finished with a season-high four doubles in their 6-3 win over Washington on Sunday. Freshman utility Nathan Webb leads the team with four doubles on the year, while Schultz and Miller have tallied two each.
LOOKING GUD, GUDINO
Redshirt senior catcher Tony Gudino has made the most of his chances on offense. While his 11 at bats are the 11th-most on the team, he has the highest batting average (.455) and on base percentage (.500) of any Highlander this season. Over his last two appearances, Gudino has 4 hits on 7 at bats (.571).
HOME SWEET HOME
Beginning with UNLV, UC Riverside will be at home for 10 straight contests from Feb. 27 - Mar. 14. This Friday through Sunday, the Highlanders will play a three-game series against San Francisco.
