RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UC Riverside's Baseball team sure seemed happy to be home because if they didn't tell you themselves, their bats certainly did the talking for them. The Highlanders scored a season-high 16 runs in their Friday night victory over Hawai'i. The team beat the Warriors 16-5 to earn their second win in a row and their second win of the season in Big West play.
The team received offense from everybody on Friday as every starter collected at least one hit. Junior
Connor Cannon mashed two home runs including a grand slam in the fifth inning that gave the Highlanders a comfortable 15-1 lead. The junior finished the game a perfect three-for-three with five RBIs and two walks. Cannon now has eight home runs on the year and has extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
Riverside got it started early again like they did against Bakersfield on Tuesday as they jumped on the Warriors for five runs in the second inning. Senior Matt hardy got the ball rolling with a two-run RBI double down the left field line. Junior
Travis Bohall later drove Hardy home with an RBI single. Sophomore
Nathan Webb capped off the inning with a two-run RBI double for himself to give the Highlanders a 5-0 lead.
Senior
Dean Miller continued his torture of a baseball as he stroked his eighth home run of the season to tie him for the team lead with Cannon. The duo are currently tied for third place in the Big West for home runs.
The team also received multiple hits from freshman
Jacob Shanks who had three hits and stole two bases. Freshman
Alec Arnone and Bohall both had two hits as the Highlanders found all the gaps tonight.
The coaching staff went with a pitching committee for the second game in a row and it seems to have found the sweet spot as the group collectively only allowed two earned runs. Junior left-hander
Hayden Petrovick earned the win as he pitched two scoreless innings, didn't allow a hit and collected a strikeout.
The squad also teamed up with Carl's Jr for a 7-run promotion: Anyone in attendance at a home game, for the rest of the season, in which the Highlanders score 7 or more runs, will receive a coupon courtesy of Carl's Jr.
The Highlanders will throw Junior
Riley Ohl on the mound tomorrow for the second game of the series. The game begins at 6:00 p.m.