MORAGA, Calif. – The UC Riverside Highlanders continued their series against the Saint Mary's College (SMC) Gaels, after opening the weekend with a 3-2 win last night. The Highlanders have been on a win streak, entering Saturdays game having won their last three contests. They continued their impressive run on the road taking the second game from the Gaels 1-0. Freshman pitcher Zach Jacobs had a standout appearance throwing a complete game shutout, letting up just three hits, no walks and punching nine strikeouts on the day.
Travis Bohall started game for the Highlanders off singling to right field on a 2-2 count. Nate Webb hit into a double play at third base that quickly put the last two outs of the inning up against the Highlanders and brought Zach Jacobs to the mound. The Saturday game against SMC was Jacobs' third appearance and start for the Highlanders this season. The commanding performance would be the freshman right-handers first win of the 2020 season, having picked up losses in the second game against UCLA (in his D1 college debut) and the second game in the Crosstown Showdown against California Baptist. In this afternoon's nine inning performance against the Gaels, Jacobs threw the most innings and the most strikeouts, as well as the least amount of balls and let up fewer hits than any other appearance of his this season.
The Gaels snuck one of just three hits allowed by Jacobs in the first inning, hitting a two-out single to right field. Jacobs would strike out the next batter with one called strike, two foul balls and a final pitch to strike out the Gaels' batter swinging. Gaels defense wouldn't slouch, holding the Highlanders to a three-up, three-down top of the second.
A Highlander error at first base put SMC baserunners in scoring position in the bottom of the second, but a two-out fly ball to Bohall in center would be deftly fielded to get UCR out of the inning.
The Highlanders scored the lone run of the close game in the top of the third. Damien Sanchez started things off with a double down the right field line. Sanchez advanced to third on a fly out by Ethan Payne. Bohall was walked to put Highlander baserunners on the corners. Nate Webb singled with two-outs on the board to send Sanchez home for what would be the game winning run.
Ground outs to shortstop and pitcher and a line out to center field kept the Gaels time at bat in the third inning brief. The Gaels answered with three strike outs in a row in the top of the fourth.
Jacobs worked through another three-up, three-down inning in the bottom of the fourth with a ground out, a fly out and three called strikes in a row for the final out of the inning. Sanchez got his second hit in as many at bats in the top of the fifth with a single up the middle. He would be put out at third in a fielders choice play for the final out of the inning.
Jacobs remained stellar in the fifth facing another three batters and getting another three outs with a ground out, a fly out and another three-pitch strike out.
Gaels defense maintained in the sixth with only one Highlander reaching base on a walk and two strikeouts in a row. The Gaels got their last two hits of the game in the sixth inning with a pair of two-out singles in a row. A putout fielded by catcher Ethan Payne got the Highlanders out of the inning. Payne got a base hit in the following inning after a Gaels pitching change, but wouldn't make it across home plate, as Bohall hit a line drive that was caught in center field to end the inning.
A pair of errors, credited to the Highlanders catcher and second baseman allowed Gaels runners into scoring position again with just one out. Jacobs battled to produce a fly ball to left field and a ground ball to shortstop that were fielded to get UCR out of the inning.
After Webb and Orick fouled out in a row to start the eighth inning, Garrett Calvert would reach on an error by Saint Mary's shortstop. The Highlanders would load the bases after two walks, one intentional, but three would be left on base after Skyler De Los Reyes lined out to center.
Jacobs put on a finale in the bottom of the ninth inning, punching three straight strike outs in a row to win 1-0, and to finish his first complete game in his collegiate career with a shutout.
The Highlanders are even on the season, advancing to 5-5 overall. They will finish the series tomorrow March 1 at 1 PM before returning home. They are back in action at the Riverside Sports Complex on Tuesday, March 3for a weekday night game against Loyola Marymount at 6:00 PM.
