RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside (6-7) enjoyed its largest win of the young season on Wednesday, exploding for five runs in both the fourth and sixth innings to defeat Valparaiso (4-8) 14-5.

Five different Highlanders ended the day with multiple RBI, but it was sophomore Connor Cannon who stood above the rest with three RBI on a 2-of-5 day at the plate. Seniors Colby Schultz and Cody Sporrer, and juniors Matt Hardy and Anthony Lepre all finished with 2 RBI.

There were also five different Highlanders ending the day with multiple runs. Schultz had his second three-run game in his last five outings, scoring in three of the first four innings.

Nathan Webb, Dean Miller, Cody Sporrer and Justin Mannens all had two runs to their name. Webb opened the scoring in the first, making it home from second on a Dean Miller single through the right side.

UCR closed its two-game series with Valparaiso reaching double-digit hits in both games. The Highlanders' 17 hits on Wednesday were four more than their previous season-high of 13, set on Feb. 18 against Washington State.

UC Riverside had four hits in the fourth, scoring five runs on three singles to put the home side up 9-0 heading into the fifth. The Highlanders would go on to score five more runs with five hits in the sixth. 

Junior right handed pitcher Jared Noonan (1-0) earned his first win of the season, throwing two strikeouts. Freshman Abbott Haffar led the Highlanders with four of the team's ten strikeouts. Senior AJ Sawyer and Connor Cannon also had two strikeouts apiece.