Riverside, Calif. - UC Riverside (10-10) fell behind early in its final game ahead of conference play, going on to an 11-5 defeat at Fresno State (14-10).

Junior outfielder Matt Hardy led the Highlanders with his most prolific offensive outing of the season, finishing with three RBI on a 2-of-4 mark at the plate. That marked Hardy's third multi-RBI outing of the year.

Hardy hit his first home run of the season to center field in the top of the ninth, a two-run shot that scored sophomore Connor Cannon. Cannon also tallied his team-leading fourth home run of the season on a solo blast over the left center wall in the top of the sixth.

Unfortunately for UCR, both home runs came with the Highlanders already trailing by at least five runs. The Bulldogs had jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first two innings, never looking back.

Junior Yeager Taylor got the Highlanders on the board in the top of the fourth, making it 5-1 in favor of the home side. Hardy followed that up with an RBI single, bringing Cannon home to make it 5-2.

Fresno State finished with a 14-7 advantage in hits. The Highlanders' pitching staff finished with nine strikeouts, the most they've had in their last seven games.

UC Riverside will have a day off before opening its 2018 Big West campaign against UC Davis this Thursday, March 29 at The Plex.