April 7, 2015
Lions 5 – Highlanders 4
The Highlanders were three runs ahead of Loyola Marymount University for the first four innings of a Tuesday away game before the fifth came and they gave up four runs, ultimately losing the game 5-4.
The bottom of the fourth inning saw UC Riverside pitcher Joie Dunyon give up a homer to Lion Jimmy Jack to put LMU on board, 3-1. However, the Highlanders came back in the top of the fifth as they scored a run off a Lion error to recapture the three-run lead, 4-1.
The fifth inning is when things started to unravel for UCR, when Dunyon was replaced with Max Compton after the first batter was walked. Though he got the following batter out, he then loaded the bases with another walk and a hit-by-pitch.
The Lions were able to take advantage of this opportunity with their next batter being walked and then a long fly ball to right field to score two batters to make the game 4-4. David Edwards came up next to give LMU the lead with his single to center, 5-4.
The last five innings of the game, the Highlander bullpen was able to keep them from scoring, but the Lions held UCR to only two hits.
April 8, 2015
Toreros 15 – Highlanders 2
Although Vince Fernandez was able to hit a two-run homer in the first to take the lead, the Highlanders would ultimately fall 15-2 in their game against San Diego, marking their eleventh straight loss.
UCR’s Cody Rogina was unable to control his pitches in the first inning as he walked the first two batters and loaded the bases two batters later with a hit-by-pitch. The Toreros got their first run with another walk, and then a quick sac-fly to tie the game, 2-2, all before Aiden Stinnett hit a three-run homer to take a lead of 5-2.
The fourth inning was when Rogina got caught in another sticky situation with runners on the corners. San Diego managed to send two players home with back-to-back singles to put them up by five and give them a 7-2 lead over UCR.
The Highlanders were able to hold them off with three relievers through the next three innings. Yet it was Ryan Lillie in the eighth inning who gave up the last eight runs, 15-2.
UCR next travels to Long Beach State for a three-game series versus the Dirtbags, beginning on April 17.
