MORAGA, Calif. – Coming off a four-game roll beginning Sunday of last week with a 14-2 win against CBU, the Highlanders wrapped up a three-game road series in Moraga, Calif. against the Saint Mary's College Gaels. The Highlanders took two from the Gaels in the course of their win streak, winning the first game of the series 3-2, and taking yesterday's game 1-0 with a complete game shut out.

The Highlanders scored early in the first inning. Travis Bohall started things off hungry for the Highlanders, with a double down the right field line on the first pitch of the game. Pofek flied out to advance Bohall to third, bringing Nate Webb up to bat. Webb grounded out on a full-count to bring Bohall home, bringing the Highlanders up 1-0. It was a brief moment for the Highlanders ahead in game three, as the Gaels answered back with a two-RBI double off UCR starting pitcher Abbott Haffar to take the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the first. 

Three Highlanders' fly outs brought the Gaels up to bat again in the second. SMC's lead off batter got on base with a single and successfully stole second as his teammate grounded out. He advanced to third as the next batter struck out. A two-out single drove the Gael baserunner on third home and put the Highlanders behind by two, 3-1.

The game settled into a scoreless few innings, until the Gaels caused trouble for the Highlanders in the bottom of the sixth. Shamus Lyons had come in for relief in the bottom of the fourth, and let up three base hits and a sacrifice fly to score a fourth Gael run, before being relieved himself by Kevin West. A two-RBI single off of West with Lyons' baserunners on second and third brought the Gaels lead to 6-1. A double from the Gaels rounded out their five-hit inning and drove in their final run of the game.

The Highlanders fought to start a rally in the last innings of the game, and managed to score a final run in the top of the ninth. Orick was walked to lead off the inning. Taylor Juline singled to advance him to second. Andrez Melendrez singled up the middle to score Orick. It wouldn't be enough to close the gap on the deficit, and the Gaels would defeat the Highlanders with a final score of 7-2.

Despite the loss, the Highlanders take the series having won two of the three games played against Saint Mary's this weekend. The Highlanders return to Riverside with a 5-6 overall record. They will play a weekday road game on Tuesday, March 3 against Loyola Marymount before hosting a four-game series against Holy Cross. That series begins on Thursday, March 5 at 6 PM. It continues March 6 at 6 PM, March 7 at 12 PM and wraps up Sunday, March 8 at 1 PM.