LA JOLLA, Calif. - The Highlanders took game two this afternoon at UC San Diego, 9-4.
Matthew O'Brien got the nod for UC Riverside and earned his first win of the season after going 5.1 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) and scattered seven hits.
After the Tritons scored two in the bottom of the first on a home run, the Highlanders got one back in the top of the second.
David Gibbs doubled left center scoring
Tyler Gordon from second. It was the first of three hits for Gibbs this afternoon and he was one of six Highlanders with a multi-hit game.
UC San Diego got that run back in the bottom of the second, but it was the top of the fifth UC Riverside put up a five spot to take a 6-3 lead. Gibbs knocked a two-RBI single down the left field line. Then
Miles Scott singled home Gibbs and
Lucas Bonham followed with a two-RBI double to left center to put the Highlanders up by three.
The Tritons got their final run in the bottom of the sixth on a Highlander error.
UC Riverside responded in the top of the seventh when
Lucas Bonham knocked in Scott on a single to left driving in Scott. That was Bonham's third RBI of the game and his third multi-RBI game of the season and the most he drove in as a Highlander. With two outs in the inning Manaoh Chapman doubled to left driving in
Ty Walton and Bonham to make it 9-4. That was Chapman's second hit on the afternoon and gave UCR some breathing room.
After retiring the first two batters in the bottom of the eighth,
Marco DiGirolamo was replaced by
Matt Hudson. The Highlander right got into a bit of a jam after the next two batters reached base. He got the final out of the inning on a groundout to
Andrew Rivas.
In the ninth the lead off hitter reached on an error, but Hudson retired the next three on fly balls. With the win the Highlanders tied the series at 1-1 and look to take the series tomorrow afternoon at 1PM.
