RIVERSIDE, Calif. - It was a wild finish this afternoon at the Riverside Sports Complex, as UC Riverside edged San Francisco in extra innings.
Isaiah Hernandez was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the tenth to walk off the Dons, 6-5.
Jack Becker got the start for UC Riverside and for the lefty it was his first start and ninth appearance of the year. He did not figure in the decision, but went two innings and gave up one run.
After USF scored in the top of the first, the Highlanders answered with three of their own in the home half of the inning. It started with
Robert Pitts getting on base after an error by the Dons.
Jaxon Byrd followed with a one out single and UCR had runners on the corners.
Jarren Sanderson singled in Pitts and
Manoah Chapman followed with an RBI single of his own scoring Byrd. Sanderson later scored on an RBI groundout by
Evan Chavez and the Highlanders found themselves up, 3-1.
Both teams scored in the fourth. USF got their run on a sac-fly making it 3-2.
UC Riverside responded in the bottom of the fourth. After the first two Highlanders were retired,
David Whittle singled to left field. Then on with the count 1-1, Pitts blasted his second homer of the year. The Highlanders went up, 5-2.
San Francisco answered in the top of the fifth scoring twice. Tino Vasell scored on a TJ Rogers RBI groundout and Wyatt Davis drove in Jayden Garrison. The game tightened up with UC Riverside leading, 5-4.
UCR's
Matt Hudson came in the eighth inning to try and hold the lead the tying run in scoring position. He almost had it but a sac-fly by Myles Kallinger scored the tying run.
In the bottom of the eighth the Highlanders had the go-ahead run on second as
Evan Chavez crushed a one out double to left center.
Miles Scott followed with walk but the next two Highlander hitters were retired.
The Dons' first two hitters got on in the top of the ninth. After a sac-bunt moved them up 90-feet UCR intentially walked the bases loaded hoping for a double play. Hudson had Zack Ramppen ahead in the count, 1-2, and on the next pitch got him to hit into a 5-4-3 inning ending double play.
Josh Martinez came in the to start the tenth inning. He struck out the first two hitters, but things got a bit rocky. A walk and hit-by-pitch put two on with two out. Then on a 3-2 pitch Martinez got his third strikeout of the inning and got out of the jam.
The Dons went to the pen and called on Thomas Gonzales. Chapman led things off getting hit on the second pitch of the inning. He was lifted for
David Gibbs who moved into scoring position on a single by
Hunter Backstrom. With two on,
Miles Scott tried to move the runners up on a sac bunt, but drew a walk instead. With the bases loaded an no outs Hernandez stepped up with a chance to win the game for UCR. With the count 0-1 he got hit in the leg and Gibbs walked home scoring the winning run.
Martinez got the win for the Highlanders, it was his first of the season. The series win for UC Riverside was its second series win of the season. Next up for UC Riverside is a weekend tilt at UC San Diego. Game one of the series will be Friday night at 6PM from La Jolla.
