RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UC Riverside took on CSUN for game two a three game set and send Matthew O'Brien to the mound for his ninth start of the season. The lefty went 7.1 innings giving up only one run for his third win of the year. It was the second time this season he pitched into the eighth inning.

O'Brien made quick work of the Matadors through the first three innings. In the top of the fourth the Matadors first two hitters got on base. Then O'Brien settled down and retired the next three. In the top of the fifth CSUN had two runners on base but the Highlander lefty worked out of the jam. CSUN's only run of the game came in the sixth on a Trent Abel sac-fly scoring Mateo Rickman. 

UCR got on the board first, pushing two runs across in the home half of the third. Evan Hall scored UCR's first run on a David Gibbs RBI single and Robert Pitts followed up with an RBI single of his own giving UCR the early 2-0 lead.

The Highlanders got a much needed third run in the bottom of the seventh when Manoah Chapman scored on an RBI ground out by Miles Scott. For Scott it was his tenth RBI of the year. 

Matt Hudson came in the eighth inning and shut down a potential CSUN rally.

Jaxon Byrd came in to relieve Hudson in the top of the ninth and with two on and one out induced a game ending double play to secure the win for the Highlanders. This is the fourth conference series that UCR took game two and they have a chance to win the series tomorrow afternoon.

First pitch tomorrow is 1PM. Read Full Article