BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The University of California, Riverside (UCR) Highlanders played a doubleheader today, March 20, against the California State University Bakersfield (CSUB) Roadrunners in the second day of a three-day, four-game series on the road that opened the conference season for both teams. The Highlanders earned their first conference win of the 2021 season in the final inning of the first game of today's doubleheader with a 5-4 victory. UCR lost the second game scoring just one run to the Roadrunners' seven.
Head Coach
Justin Johnson reflected on the split, saying, "We are definitely not disappointed here. We got the split today. When you win the first game you'd like to sweep the doubleheader, but I am excited to get our first win in the Big West this season." He continued, "It's great to see how hard the team played that first game. We got down three runs and they just kept battling and competing. They really fought in order to pull it out and get that win."
In the first game of the day, CSUB scored the first run of the game off of a sacrifice fly in the first inning to take an early lead. They extended their lead in the third inning with a two-RBI single down the left side which put the Roadrunners up 3-0.
Joey Nicolai answered back for the Highlanders in the fourth inning with the double down the right field line that scored Nate Webb and
Dylan Orick. UC Riverside was now trailing by just one run, 3-2.
The fifth, sixth and seventh innings remained scoreless, until
Cole Pofek tripled in the eighth to right center, sending
Taylor Juline across home plate to tie the game 3-3. Before the end of the inning, Pofek stole home to lift the Highlanders into the lead, 4-3. UCR's advantage was short lived as CSUB rallied with a run to tie up the game in the bottom of the eighth, 4-4.
Ely Stuart singled to right field in the top of the ninth to send Orick home with the winning run and to prevent extra innings, for a final score of 5-4 in favor of UC Riverside.
In the second game, CSU Bakersfield slowly built an early lead, pulling ahead of the Highlanders 3-0 by the fifth inning off of three separate RBI singles in three separate innings. With bases loaded and a 3-0 advantage to CSUB, a Roadrunner grand slam added four runs for a 7-0 lead. UCR struggled for a comeback, and
Dylan Orick hit an RBI single in the ninth to prevent a shutout, but the home team took the second game 7-1 to split the day between UC Riverside and Cal State Bakersfield.
Looking to tomorrow, Coach Johnson commented, "We have to execute better. We did not execute at all today. We missed bunts, we missed signs. We had opportunities, there was bases loaded and we did not execute quality at-bats in order to bring guys in. So, we've just got to execute across the board a lot better tomorrow." He said, "I think we'll have a good chance with
Abbott Haffar starting and we just have to connect better offensively and make a few more plays defensively to create the opportunity to win. We are confident going into tomorrow."
The two teams are back in Bakersfield once more tomorrow, March 21 to complete the series with a single game. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM.
