Archive/HIGHLANDER

March 6, 2012
Bruins 4 – Highlanders 0

The Highlander baseball team traveled to Los Angeles, California to face off against UCLA for another outer conference battle. Riverside was shutout in route to a 0-4 loss at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Mitch Patito started on the mound for the Highlanders before being pulled in the fifth inning. Patito had seven opponents striking out but he allowed six hits, three runs and three walks. Grant Wilson, the starter for the Bruins, went 5.1 innings and only allowed two hits and one strike out.

Riverside’s pitching allowed 10 hits while they only mustered four hits. Vince Gonzalez had two of the team’s four hits as he went 2-4. The Highlanders, as a team, stopped their woes of striking out as they only stuck out four times. Riverside’s bats could just not find the gaps in the Bruins’ defense, and they lost the game by a score of 0-4.

March 9, 2012
Highlanders 15 – Hornets 4

The Riverside baseball team faced off against Sacramento State in what turned into a slugfest. The Highlanders used the first two innings to set the tone as they beat the Hornets by 11 runs in route to a 15-4 victory.

Dylan Stuart (2-2) started for the Highlanders and went five strong innings. Stuart got five strike outs, allowed eight hits and four runs.

The bats for UCR were running on all cylinders as all the starters achieved a hit and combined for a total of 16 hits and 15 RBIs. The Highlanders showed greatness but a couple names that stood out were Eddie Young who went 3-3 with three RBIs, Drake Zarate who went 2-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored and Devon Bolasky who went 2-2 with three runs scored.

Coach Doug Smith was asked about the team’s performance. “We swung the bats poorly all year long,” he said, “we have been working hard and it was great to finally see it carry over.”

March 10, 2012
Highlanders 1 – Hornets 0

UCR baseball faced off against Sacramento State for the second game of the weekend Saturday afternoon. Riverside would shut out its opponent, 1-0, in a record-setting game for the Highlanders.

Eddie Orozco started the mound for UCR and pitched a magnificent complete game. Orozco only allowed three hits but he got a superb 15 strikeouts.

The Hornets got more strikeouts than the Highlanders in this game. UCR mustered six hits and two of them came crucial in the bottom of the third inning.

Bart Steponovich singled to shortstop then Jake Gallaway grounded out to third but that advanced Steponovich to second. Devon Bolasky came up and singled down the left field line for an RBI. Steponovich scored the only run UCR needed as he went 2-3 at the plate. UCR won in a 1-0 shutout.

March 6, 2012
Hornets 5 – Highlanders 2

UCR baseball finished the three-game series against Sacramento State this past Sunday afternoon. UC Riverside was unable to withstand the Hornets’ young pitcher Brennan Leitao in route to a 2-5 loss.

Trevor Frank started the mound for the Highlanders. Frank went eight innings, allowed five hits and five runs with four strike outs.

The Highlanders were scoreless until the eighth inning when they scored two runs on two hits. Phil Holinsworth started it when he singled through the right side of the field. Clayton Prestridge reached the bases on an error and the Highlanders had two men on. Eddie Young then singled to right field as he scored Holinsworth for an RBI.

Prestridge found his way to home plate for the second run scored but that would be it for Riverside in the game. UCR didn’t get the comeback win but the team still won its first weekend series of the year.