RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UC Riverside Highlanders continued their four-game set against Holy Cross with a Friday night game at the Riverside Sports Complex. The series kicked off Thursday, March 4 with an extra-inning walk-off 7-6 win for the Highlanders.
 
UCR put one run on the board early in the first inning with a sacrifice fly from Garrett Calvert. Calvert popped up to right field, sending DH Jacob Shanks, on base after singling to center, home to score. The Highlanders wouldn't cross the plate again until the bottom of the ninth. 
 
Holy Cross took the lead in the third inning with a deep RBI double to left center. They kept moving batters around with five hits on the inning, successfully sending one more run home before the final out of the inning.
 
A Crusader run in the fifth inning extended their lead to 3-1, as the Highlanders fought to move around the bases. They were held at a two-run deficit until the bottom of the ninth inning, when they ignited a two-out rally to tie the game 3-3 and extend to extra innings for the second time in two games against Holy Cross.
 
Despite a tremendous successful push to extra innings, the Crusaders would squeeze an unanswered run into the top of the tenth inning that would win the game 4-3.
 
Cole Percival started on the mound for the Highlanders, throwing seven full innings. He let up three runs on eight hits, walked none and struck out five Crusaders. Shamus Lyons came in relief for Percival in the top of the eighth. Lyons threw 2.1 innings, letting up one run on one hit, walking none and striking out four. Andre Granillo closed out the final .2 inning, facing three batters, letting up zero runs on one hit with one walk. 
 
The series resumes tomorrow March 7 at 12 PM at Riverside Sports Complex.