Highlanders Win in Wild Ninth

Sunday, February 16

Riverside, Calif.

1:00 p.m.

UC Riverside

2-1

Utah Valley

1-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Utah Valley	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	2	6	10	6
UC Riverside	1	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	3	7	14	1

Tyler Gordon vs UVU game 3 throws the ball

2/16/2025 7:02:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Highlanders and the Wolverines were back at it for game three of a four game set at The Plex. Last night was a rough one for UCR and they looked to Matthew Flores to right the ship.

The Highlanders took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a RBI single by Griffin Harrison. The Wolverines responded with a homer by Mason Strong.

The bottom of the second, a costly error by Utah Valley's third baseman allowed Andrew Rivas to score and give UCR a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth the Highlanders pushed two more across giving them a 4-1 lead. The runs came on a RBI single from David Whittle and a run scored on a sac bunt and error that allowed Robert Pitts to reach base.

In the top of the sixth things got a bit interesting. The Highlanders surrendered two runs, one coming on a baulk with the bases loaded. UVU then added another run in the eighth. It looked bleak for UCR.

In the bottom of the ninth the Highlanders loaded the bases on two hits and a walk. All with no outs and Chapman came up with a clutch single cutting the lead to 6-5 and the bases still loaded. Andrew Rivas drove in the tying run on a sac fly to center and importantly the winning run in Jayden Lopez was 90 feet away. Tyson Reis came up looking to end it with one swing of the bat, and reached on an error. Whittle came up clutch driving a single to left for the walk off for his second RBI of the game.

"[I'm] proud of the way the guys keep competing for all nine innings," said UCR's Justin Johnson after the game. "Proud of the way they didn't flinch when we got down two runs in the 9th inning, they [the team] just kept chopping."

"Always great to get a walk off win."

Up next for the Highlanders is the final game of the series against Utah Valley. Game time is 12:00 p.m.