RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Highlanders and the Matadors faced off for the rubber game of the three game set this weekend. CSUN took game one, 9-6, and UCR stormed back behind
Matthew O'Brien's strong outing to win 3-1. The Highlanders sought their first conference series win since Hawai'i last year and their third series win of the season.
Both teams scored in the first inning and CSUN took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second. The Matadors scored twice more in the top of the third with the big hit coming off the bat of Matthew Thomas who cleared the net in left field making it 3-1. Then a couple of batters later Mateo Rickman doubled home Andrew Becker.
After the Highlanders scored one in the bottom of the fourth they put four spot up in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-4 lead.
Isaiah Hernandez doubled to left-center to score
Jarren Sanderson and
Andrew Rivas. A couple batters later
David Whittle broke the tie with a two-RBI double of his own to give the Highlanders a 6-4 lead.
The Matadors got a run back in the top of the sixth and then tied the game in the seventh on an error.
The Highlanders broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth and did so without a hit. With two outs
Tyler Gordon drew a walk. He then stole second base and two errors on the play allowed Gordon to score and give the Highlanders a 7-6 lead.
Jack Becker came in the game in the top of the ninth. After facing two hitters the Highlanders went to the pen and called on
Adrian Blanchet. The UCR righty got a fly out to right and after a diving play by Hernandez, Evan Saito scored to tie the game. Then CSUN took an 8-7 lead on an RBI single by Vaughn Coleman.
Again, the Highlanders went to the pen and
Matt Hudson came in to try and limit the damage. He got out of the jam striking out Colton Boardman followed by
David Whittle throwing out Coleman trying to steal second.
Trailing by a run the Highlanders were down to their final three outs.
Robert Pitts got things started with a single. After
Jaxon Byrd struck out, Pitts stole second and the tying run was in scoring position. After a pair of walks
Manoah Chapman came up with the bases loaded and one out. He was hit by a pitch scoring the game tying run. With the infield playing in
Isaiah Hernandez came up and singled to right scoring the winning run giving UCR the series.
Up next for the Highlanders is CBU for game three of the Crosstown Showdown. First pitch will be 2PM on Tuesday.
