BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Fifteen hits and five UC Riverside Highlander pitchers contributed to an 8-6 team win against Cal State University Bakersfield (CSUB) on Sunday afternoon's Mother's Day game, wrapping up the Big West series on a positive note.
UC Riverside jumped on the board in the third inning with a ground-rule double from Anthony McFarland. A pair of singles put Jacob Shanks and Tyler Weaver on base. McFarland's hit scored Shanks and advanced Weaver to third.Â
Dominic Martinez scored Weaver with a sacrifice fly, putting the Highlanders in the lead, 2-0.
In the bottom of the frame, the Roadrunners put up six runs on six hits and one error, swiftly overtaking the Highlanders lead from the inning before and putting them back a four-run deficit.
In the top of the fifth inning, an RBI-double from Anthony Mata brought the Highlanders within three runs of CSUN, 6-3.
UC Riverside defense worked to hold Bakersfield at six runs, while the offense chipped away at the Roadrunner's lead. In the top of the sixth inning, Weaver added a run to the scoreline, hitting an RBI single that scored teammate Jayden Lopez.Â
In the next frame, Lopez hit a two-run home run, tying the game up at 6-6.Â
In the eighth inning, a pair of Highlander runs lifted UCR above their opponents, 8-6. Anthony McFarland hit a single to center field, scoring Jacob Shanks. Dominic Martinez hit his second sacrifice fly of the game to score Weaver for the Highlanders' eighth and final run.Â
The Roadrunners threatened in the ninth inning, getting into scoring position with a double with just one out on the board. Eric Marrujo came in to close the inning, relieving Tyler Frazier. Marrujo faced two batters, both flying out to center field, ending the game.
The Highlander pitching staff put up a combined eight scoreless innings in their victory against the Roadrunners.
UC Riverside returns to the Plex next weekend for the final home Big West series. The three-game set against UC San Diego begins Friday, May 19 with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30PM.
