RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside (15-20, 4-5) will look to bounce back from a tough week of non-conference play as it travels to face UC Santa Barbara (18-17-1, 4-5) in both teams' fourth Big West series of 2018.
SAN DIEGO STATE RECAP
UC Riverside fell behind early against San Diego State on Tuesday in the last of a four-game, non-conference home stand. Despite answering an early punch with a run in the bottom of the first, the Highlanders couldn't keep up with a hot Aztec offense, going on to take a 19-1 defeat. Senior shortstop Colby Schultz gave UCR its sole run of the day, scoring on an Anthony Lepre single. With that RBI, Lepre moved into second on the team with 22 heading into this weekend's series at UC Santa Barbara.
THAT'S ONE WAY TO START
On Friday, Mar. 29, UC Riverside opened its 2018 Big West campaign with its hottest start ever out of the conference gates. The Highlanders posted 16 runs, 20 hits and 14 RBI, shattering their previous records for runs (7 vs. UCSB in 2007), hits (15 vs. Cal Poly in 2003) and RBI (8, twice) in a conference season-opener since joining the Big West in 2002. It was also the Highlanders' first 20-hit performance in over three years.
Sophomore Connor Cannon led the way with three hits on a career-high tying five RBI, which were split between a three-run homer and a two-run double. Five different Highlanders notched three hits for the first time this season as UCR enjoyed its third six-run inning of the year in the bottom of the third.
FANTASTIC FRESHMAN
Freshman Nathan Webb has a hit in all nine Big West games this year, currently leading the way in both batting average (.472) and doubles (6) during conference play. Prior to UCR's Big West bye this past weekend, Webb ranked in the top-five in both of those categories, and was second in hits (17) since the start of conference. For the season, he has doubled on 14 of his 29 hits.
WHAT A WEEKEND
UC Riverside ended the opening weekend of Big West play with the most runs (27), hits (41), RBI (25), batting average (.383) and slugging percentage (.607) in the conference, all marks which also set Division I program records for a conference-opening weekend. Six different Highlanders batted over .400 with five hits in three games.
The strong start against UC Davis gave the Highlanders their third 2-0 start ever in Big West play. The only other times they started 2-0 were in 2016 – also against the Aggies – and in a 2013 sweep over UC Irvine.
BUILT LIKE A MOUNTAIN
Connor Cannon earned his first career Big West Field Player of the Week Award earlier this month. From Mar. 27-31, the sophomore batted .467 (7-for-15) and put up a 1.200 slugging and .556 on base percentage to go along with six runs, 10 RBI and three walks. Cannon also launched a home run in three consecutive games. Prior to that week, he had never homered in back-to-back outings.
Already with two 5-RBI games this season, Cannon becomes the first Highlander with multiple 5-RBI performances since Tony Nix in 2010.
Cannon's first 5-RBI game of the year came in the Highlanders' 8-1 season-opening win over WSU on Feb. 16, when he recorded his first ever grand slam in the bottom of the seventh. For the season, he leads UCR in home runs (6) and RBI (23), marks which rank third and 13th in the Big West, respectively.
ATOP THE PACK
The Highlanders have improved their offensive production significantly during Big West play, ranking in the top three in a number of statistical categories. Through nine games, they rank first in the conference in doubles (28) and extra-base hits (36), second in batting average (.320), slugging (.473) and hits (102), and third in RBI (47) and home runs (5).
R' HOUSE
The Highlanders have gone 10-11 at home this season, already matching their 2017 win-total, when they went 10-15. From Mar. 6 to Mar. 30, they were nearly unbeatable at The Plex, posting a record of 7-1.
During that run in March, the Highlanders enjoyed three of their top four hitting performances of the season:
Top Hitting Performances of 2018
3/29/18 vs. UC Davis 20 Hits
3/14/18 vs. Grand Canyon 19 Hits
4/14/18 at Hawai'i 18 Hits
3/7/18 vs. Valparaiso 17 Hits
3/31/18 vs. UC Davis 15 Hits
HOLDING DOWN THE MOUND
Right-handed pitcher Cole Percival (5-1) is another Highlander having a great freshman season. He has pitched the most innings (50.0) on the team, leading the way in wins (5) and strikeouts (44) and opposing batting average (.209). His team-leading 2.37 ERA also ranks third in the Big West.
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. He struck out eight batters, giving up just one hit, one run, and a meager .056 opposing batting average.
JUST GETTING STARTED
Right-handed pitcher Jared Morton has a 2-2 record and a 3.14 ERA in 28.2 innings pitched this year. The senior is also fifth in the Big West in saves (5). Now with nine saves in his career, he is tied for No. 8 all-time in the UCR record books.
Morton earned his first start of the season on Sunday against San Jose State. The Highlanders were 10-2 in his first 12 appearances this season, but have lost the last four games where he has seen the mound. In his first conference appearance on Mar. 30, he pitched a perfect three innings to close out the Aggies, retiring all nine batters he faced.
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
UC Riverside hit .472 as a team against Valparaiso on Mar. 7, exploding for 14 runs and 17 hits. At the time, it was the most hits for the Highlanders since recording 18 against Long Beach State on Apr. 23, 2016.
Seven different Highlanders finished with multiple runs or RBI. Senior shortstop Colby Schultz finished 3-of-5 for 2 RBI, and had his second three-run game in his last five outings. Sophomore Connor Cannon finished with a team-high 3 RBI.
STREAKERS
The Highlanders won four straight games from Mar. 6 - Mar. 11 for their longest win streak so far this season. It was UCR's first four-game win streak since opening the 2017 season with a 4-0 record. Their current three-game losing streak is tied for their longest this season.
ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD
Following this weekend's series, UCR will have one day off before playing at San Diego State on Tuesday, May 1 in a rematch of this past Tuesday's defeat. The Highlanders will then return home for their penultimate home series of the year against Long Beach State (May 4-6).
