Tsung Su/HIGHLANDER
Tsung Su/HIGHLANDER

May 7, 2013

Aztecs 6 – Highlanders 2

Along with being forced to vacate eight wins in the 2013 season, the UC Riverside baseball team extended its current losing streak to five after dropping a 6-2 contest to San Diego State.

UCR was able to get on the board first at the bottom of the opening inning, but San Diego State would score three unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 3-1 lead.

A triple by Joe Chavez in the bottom of the fifth that scored David Andriesse allowed them to cut the Aztec lead to one. However, San Diego State was able to score runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to secure the 6-2 victory over UCR.

May 10, 2013

Titans 14 – Highlanders 7

In the midst of its five-game losing streak, the UC Riverside baseball team faced a daunting task in going head-to-head with the fourth-best team in the nation, Cal State Fullerton.

After a scoreless first inning, the Titans struck in the second inning with four straight runs, followed by a one-run third inning to get off to an early 5-0 lead.

The sixth inning provided the most action, with six runs shared between both teams, four for Fullerton and two for UCR. The Titans again extended their lead to 14-2 with four runs in the seventh inning. UCR scored five uncontested runs in the final two innings, but they were not enough to prevent the Cal State Fullerton Titans from taking the victory.

May 11, 2013

Titans 12 – Highlanders 0

After taking a 14-7 trouncing at the hands of the nationally-ranked Cal State Fullerton Titans on Friday, the UC Riverside baseball team did not fare much better the next day.

In the first inning, the Titans were able to jump out to a huge early lead. Taking advantage of lackluster play by starting pitcher Ben Doucette, who is 2-6 this year, Cal State Fullerton was able to plate six runs in the first inning followed by a five-run second inning.

Facing an 11-0 deficit, the Highlanders decided to relieve Doucette of his duties at the start of the third inning, putting Angelo Lingos on the mound to take his place. Lingos made the most of his six innings of work, only allowing six hits for the rest of the match.

Though Lingos put on an impressive performance, the rest of the team was unable to muster up a sliver offense, leaving the field without a single point on the board through nine innings.

Fullerton’s final run came in the top of the ninth, when Anthony Hutting’s double allowed A.J. Kennedy to give the Titans a meaningless insurance run that would serve as the proverbial nail in the coffin for UCR.

May 12, 2013

Highlanders 7 – Titans 6

The UC Riverside baseball team finally broke a seven-game losing streak Sunday against the Cal State Fullerton Titans.

UCR took a page out of the Titans’ book from the last two games as they muscled a huge lead to begin the game with five runs in the first inning. The Highlanders scored one more in the bottom of the second thanks to a Joe Chavez RBI off a groundout by Clayton Prestridge.

After a scoreless third, the Titans and Highlanders each plated a run in the fourth inning, making the score 7-1 in favor of UCR.

With a commanding 7-1 lead in hand, the Highlanders nearly gave it up after failing to generate any offense following the fourth inning before giving up five straight runs to the Titans in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.

The cold streak that the Highlanders suffered can be credited to the entrance of relief pitcher Tyler Peitzmeier in the fifth inning. Peitzmeier only allowed three hits in four innings for Fullerton, putting them in prime position to steal the game right back from UC Riverside.

However, UCR closer Trevor Frank was able to successfully close out the game for the Highlanders. He allowed them to escape the three-game series against Cal State Fullerton with a close and tightly-earned victory.

Next up for the Highlanders is a home match Tuesday, May 14 against the University of San Diego, followed by a three-game series over the weekend against the Long Beach State 49ers.