The University of California, Riverside (UCR) Highlanders traveled across town for a doubleheader in Lancer territory, taking on local rivals, California Baptist University (CBU) in games two and three of this year's four-game Crosstown Showdown.
 
In game one, the Highlanders jumped out with an early lead in the top of the second. Cole Pofek doubled to right center, sending Jacob Shanks home for the first run of the game. 
 
The Lancers answered back in the third inning with a homerun to tie the game at 1-1, setting off a back and forth between the two teams that endured until the bottom of the sixth when California Baptist was ultimately able to pull away with the lead.
 
In the fifth inning, Dylan Orick smacked a triple to right field, scoring Ely Stuart for UC Riverside to once again take the lead, 2-1.    
 
It would be short-lived, as the Lancers snuck an RBI single past UCR defense in the bottom of the frame to knot the game once more, at 2-2.

Joey Nicolai broke the tie in the top of the sixth inning, hitting an RBI single towards third base that successfully sent Shanks across home plate for the second time. The Highlanders saw their final lead of the game in the top of the sixth, 3-2.
 
The Lancers pulled away with force in their final three innings at bat, scoring four more runs.
 
Nate Webb hit his first homerun of the day in the top of the eighth inning as the Highlanders sought to comeback against CBU's lead, but it was too much to overcome. The Lancers took the first game 7-4.
 
Early offensive action helped the Highlanders jump out to an early lead in game two. Nate Webb sent Travis Bohall home in the first inning with an RBI single.
 
Pofek doubled the Highlanders lead in the second inning, with an RBI single to right field that scored Nicolai.
 
A solo homerun by CBU in the bottom of the second put them on scoreboard and cut UCR's lead in half, 2-1.
 
Bohall found home again in the top of the third inning when Ely Stuart singled through the left side to extend the Highlanders' lead, 3-1.
 
Webb hit his second homerun of the day in the top of the fifth inning, bringing Bohall home with him. The score was now 5-1 in favor of UCR.
 
Anthony McFarland scored the Highlanders' sixth run in the top of the sixth inning off of a throwing error by the catcher on Travis Bohall's sacrifice bunt.
 
The Lancers answered back to UCR's five-run lead in the bottom of the same frame, sending two runs home with RBI singles to cut the Highlanders lead down, 6-5.
 
CBU stirred up trouble for UC Riverside in the bottom of the eighth inning, tying the game 6-6 with a homerun.
 
Nate Webb took the plate and set the tone for the top of the ninth inning with his third homerun of the day and second of the game, breaking the tie and taking the lead, 7-6. McFarland drew a walk on loaded bases to score Jacob Shanks, followed by a two-RBI single for Bohall. The final two runs were scored on defensive errors by the Lancers. UC Riverside entered the bottom of the ninth with a 12-6 lead and needing just three outs to win the game.
 
Andre Granillo took the mound and delivered with a three up, three down inning. The Highlanders won 12-6, to split today's doubleheader.
 
Nathan Webb was on fire in game two, going 4-5 at the plate with two huge homeruns, including the top of the ninth tiebreaker that started a six-run rally. He had four RBIs and two runs on his four hits. Bohall was also 4-5 in game two, with four runs and two RBIs and a double. Joey Nicolai had a day at the plate, hitting 2-3 with two runs, one double and two walks to get on base.
 
The win snapped a 15-game losing streak for the Highlanders, bringing the team into the final game of the year on a high note. 
 
Tomorrow, May 29, is Senior Day at the Riverside Sports Complex for the Highlanders as the Lancers return to finish the series at 1:00 PM, for the last game of the 2021 season. Recognition for our seniors will begin around 12:45 and will be livestreamed at bigwest.tv.