RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The BYU Cougars visited The Plex this afternoon for a weekday game to take on a Highlanders team coming off a series win over Wagner College. The Cougars, out of the Big 12, entered the game at 3-3 and the Highlanders 2-5.
Josh Torres got the nod this afternoon for the Highlanders and UC Riverside needed him to pitch deep into the game. Yesterday, UCR used eight pitchers in the loss to Wagner. This was Torres first appearance since the Utah Tech series to open up the season.
BYU got things started in the first when Crew McChesney lined a one out double to left scoring two and giving the Cougars an early 2-0 lead. Then a two out double by Matt Hansen, put BYU up 3-0.
The Cougars plated another run in the top of the second on a RBI double by Ezra McNaughton scoring Luke Anderson. Ryder Robinson followed with another double and it was 5-0 BYU.
In the top of the fourth the Highlanders went to the pen and lefty
Jack Becker made his second appearance of the year. Like Torres, the last time Becker pitched was against Utah Tech.
After the first two runners for BYU reached base,
Marco DiGirolamo took the mound. The righty trying to get out of the jam but surrendered a run making it 6-0.
In the bottom of the fifth BYU went to the pen and called on Nate Wochner. BYU starter Cayson Bell went four innings giving up no hits and only throwing 44 pitches.
In the bottom of the sixth the Highlanders got the lead off runner on as
Tyler Bolyard walked.
David Gibbs then entered as a pinch runner and UCR looked to get one on the board. Then with one out in the inning
Jarren Sanderson ended the BYU no-hitter with a single up the middle. However, the inning came to an end on a
Lucas Bonham line out to center.
The Cougars plated five runs in the top of the ninth and took an 11-0 lead over the Highlanders. A couple of hit batsmen, an error and a couple of hits is what sparked the big inning.
Brock Snow came in for the Cougars to close out the game. He hit
Ty Walton to lead things off in the ninth.
Evan Hall then got it and the first two reached base. Snow was lifted for Ethan Zufall.
Evan Chavez then got hit by Zufall and all three runners on base got on after being hit.
Andrew Rivas stepped up to try and drive in some runs for the Highlanders, singled up the middle and plated two runs. For Rivas it was his fifth and sixth RBI on the year. The third run scored on a fielder's choice and error off the bat of
Miles Scott and it was 11-3.
David Gibbs ended the game on a fly out.
Up next for the Highlanders is a trip to Orem, Utah to take on Utah Valley. That four game series starts on Friday.
