SAN DIEGO, Calif. – UC Riverside put up six runs in the third and closed San Diego out with strong pitching late, holding on to a 6-5 win Tuesday night on the road.

Seven of the Highlanders' (17-26) 10 hits came in the third, five coming in the form of RBI singles. Playing catch-up the rest of the way, the Toreros would nearly erase a four-run deficit, getting three back in the bottom of the seventh to make it 6-5.

The pitching combination of righty Max Compton and lefty Hazahel Quijada would close out the final three innings without giving up a run or a hit, as Quijada notched his third save of the season.

Freshman Dylan Orick recorded a career-high three hits on four at bats, getting the scoring started in the third by bringing senior Colby Schultz home with a single to center field. UCR was trailing 2-0 at that point after conceding two early Torero runs.

Tying the game at 2-2 on the next at bat was freshman Nathan Webb, who singled up the middle to plate Anthony Lepre. The previously walked Connor Cannon – who was the only one of eight Highlanders in the inning not to reach base by way of single – would score the go-ahead run on a Cody Sporrer hit to right.

Freshman Ari Gerber then stepped up with an RBI single of his own, giving him the first hit of his career and bringing Orick home to make it 4-2. Dean Miller helped extend the lead to three runs with the Highlanders' only sac fly of the game, giving Webb a run. Schultz capped the scoring spree off with his second single of the inning, as Sporrer scored.

Senior righty Johnny Breidenthal (2-1) picked up his second win of the year after throwing a season-best five strikeouts in five innings, his longest time on the mound in 2018.

UCR takes a win in its non-conference finale for the second time in three years, ending a run of four straight losses. The Highlanders will take on Cal State Fullerton this Fri-Sun in their second-to-last road series of the year.