LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The University of California, Riverside (UCR) Highlanders traveled west to the University of Southern California's Dedeaux Field for a midweek bout against the Trojans.
Coming off a pair of losses against Utah Valley at home last weekend, the Highlanders bounced back with a 6-5 win against the Pac-12 Trojans.
Right off the bat,
Jayden Lopez flied out to left field in the first inning, scoring the Highlanders' leadoff hitter,
Tyler Weaver for the first run of the game.
In the second inning, UC Riverside offense bolstered its lead with a pair of runs courtesy of
Andrew Rivas and
Anthony McFarland, pulling ahead of the Trojans with an early 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third inning, USC got three runs across, tying the Highlanders up at, 3-3.
Head Coach
Justin Johnson talked strategy post-game, saying, "We wanted to jump out early and our guys did an amazing job getting on top of fastballs and getting an early three-run lead. We knew what we were up against and that they'd jump back at us and give us all we could handle so our mindset was to expect that to happen, keep fighting and competing and stay focused, which we did."
Starting pitcher for the Highlanders,
Alfredo Capacete, hit sixth in the starting lineup and earned his first RBI of the game in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly that sent
Jacob Shanks home, lifting the Highlanders ahead of the Trojans once more, 4-3.
Andrew Rivas earned his second RBI of the game right behind Capacete, with a sacrifice fly that scored
Dominic Martinez. Badawi found home on a wild pitch, scoring the sixth and final run for the Highlanders at Dedeaux field.
In the eighth inning, a Trojan homerun threatened the Highlanders lead. In the ninth, the Trojans scored a run, cutting UC Riverside's lead down to just run one. USC moved the tying run around to third base but skillful pitching and fielding held USC offense at bay until the end, with UC Riverside taking the 6-5 win.
Caleb Turner commanded the mound for the Highlanders, earning the win with four scoreless innings pitched, letting up just two hits and striking out two with no walks.
Tyler Frazier picked up the save in the ninth inning, holding off the Trojans for the win.
Jacob Shanks put the best of Highlander offense on display, going 3-5 with one run, and three stolen bases.
Tyler Weaver went 1-2 with a triple and three walks to get on base.
Heading into the weekend, Coach Johnson hopes to carry the same mentality forward, saying, "We will bring this same energy with all hands on deck every time we compete with every opponent we face."
The Highlanders return home to host the Loyola Marymount Lions in a three-game series, beginning with a game on Saturday, March 4 at 2:00 PM at the Riverside Sports Complex.
