Friday, April 28
UC Riverside
9
at
7
Cal State Fullerton
Highlanders Outlast #1 Titans 9-7 in 11 Innings
4/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
UC Riverside scored twice in the top of the 11th inning to upset #1 Cal State Fullerton 9-7 Friday night in a Big West Conference game at Goodwin Field. The Highlanders improve to 22-15, 4-3 in the Big West while handing the Titans just their second conference loss as they fall to 31-11, 8-2.
Fans expecting a low-scoring affair between two of the top pitching staffs in the Big West Conference were instead met with a wild game in which UCR overcame a 5-0 deficit with five runs in the fourth inning. The Highlanders then went ahead 7-5 before the Titans scored once in the eighth and once more in the ninth to force extra innings. The teams combined for 16 runs, 29 hits, and 24 strikeouts.
The Titan's top pitching in the Big West couldn't contain UCR junior CF Brett Bigler, who entered the game hitting .652 in conference play. Bigler didn't slow down in Friday's opener, jumpstarting three of UCR's scoring innings en route to a 4-for-5 outing. Bigler also scored three times and hit his team-leading fourth triple of the season in collecting his third four-hit game of the year. Sophomore C Jeff Dunbar was 3-for-6 while junior DH Nick Salotti and sophomore SS Jaime Pedroza each drove in two runs.
Bigler ignited the Highlanders' 11th inning by leading off with a walk off Vinnie Pestano (1-1) and advancing to third on an error by CSUF 1B Brett Pill. After a walk to senior 3B Brian Steinmeyer, junior 1B Kyle Barratt hit a sacrifice fly to left to give UCR the lead. Two batters later, junior LF D.J. Hollingsworth drew the third walk of the inning to load the bases. Pestano continued to struggle with his control, issuing his fourth walk, this time to sophomore 2B Drew Garcia, to force home the second run of the inning.
Junior RHP Daniel Stange (1-1) picked up the win despite blowing his second save of the season. Stange came on to get the final out of the eighth, then looked to close it out in the ninth with UCR ahead 7-6. Stange got the first out, then gave up a single to Evan McArthur. Matthew Fahey struck out for the second out as McArthur stole second. But Justin Turner singled through the left side to score McArthur to tie the game at 7-all.
Fullerton took the lead in the second on Brandon Tripp's two-run homer off sophomore RHP James Simmons. They added three more runs in the third, aided by a two-run home run by Pill. UCR put together six hits in the fourth to tie the game at 5-5. Again it was Bigler who got things started, singling to lead off and then stealing second. Two batters later, sophomore 1B Aaron Wible brought him home with a single. Consecutive singles by Hollingsworth and Dunbar added another run and Salotti hit into an RBI fielder's choice to make it 5-3. After a single by Garcia, Pedroza delivered a two-run double to knot the game at five.
Bigler again was in the midst as UCR took the lead. He opened the fifth with a triple, coming home on a double by Steinmeyer. Salotti added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to give UCR a 7-5 lead.
Simmons gave up five runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings. Sophomore LHP Dan Runzler relieved and allowed one run on one hit and two walks in 1 1/3 innings before Stange closed out the final three innings. The three Highlander pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts.
CSUF starter Wes Roemer entered the game with a BWC-leading 1.46 ERA but was tagged for six runs on ten hits in seven innings. Pestano walked seven in 2 1/3 innings but was the only Fullerton pitcher to issue any free passes. Five Titan hurlers matched UCR with 12 strikeouts of their own.
The victory was UCR's sixth in seventh games against the Titans when Fullerton has been ranked #1 in the nation. It was also the Highlanders' first extra-innings win of the season following three losses.
Fans expecting a low-scoring affair between two of the top pitching staffs in the Big West Conference were instead met with a wild game in which UCR overcame a 5-0 deficit with five runs in the fourth inning. The Highlanders then went ahead 7-5 before the Titans scored once in the eighth and once more in the ninth to force extra innings. The teams combined for 16 runs, 29 hits, and 24 strikeouts.
The Titan's top pitching in the Big West couldn't contain UCR junior CF Brett Bigler, who entered the game hitting .652 in conference play. Bigler didn't slow down in Friday's opener, jumpstarting three of UCR's scoring innings en route to a 4-for-5 outing. Bigler also scored three times and hit his team-leading fourth triple of the season in collecting his third four-hit game of the year. Sophomore C Jeff Dunbar was 3-for-6 while junior DH Nick Salotti and sophomore SS Jaime Pedroza each drove in two runs.
Bigler ignited the Highlanders' 11th inning by leading off with a walk off Vinnie Pestano (1-1) and advancing to third on an error by CSUF 1B Brett Pill. After a walk to senior 3B Brian Steinmeyer, junior 1B Kyle Barratt hit a sacrifice fly to left to give UCR the lead. Two batters later, junior LF D.J. Hollingsworth drew the third walk of the inning to load the bases. Pestano continued to struggle with his control, issuing his fourth walk, this time to sophomore 2B Drew Garcia, to force home the second run of the inning.
Junior RHP Daniel Stange (1-1) picked up the win despite blowing his second save of the season. Stange came on to get the final out of the eighth, then looked to close it out in the ninth with UCR ahead 7-6. Stange got the first out, then gave up a single to Evan McArthur. Matthew Fahey struck out for the second out as McArthur stole second. But Justin Turner singled through the left side to score McArthur to tie the game at 7-all.
Fullerton took the lead in the second on Brandon Tripp's two-run homer off sophomore RHP James Simmons. They added three more runs in the third, aided by a two-run home run by Pill. UCR put together six hits in the fourth to tie the game at 5-5. Again it was Bigler who got things started, singling to lead off and then stealing second. Two batters later, sophomore 1B Aaron Wible brought him home with a single. Consecutive singles by Hollingsworth and Dunbar added another run and Salotti hit into an RBI fielder's choice to make it 5-3. After a single by Garcia, Pedroza delivered a two-run double to knot the game at five.
Bigler again was in the midst as UCR took the lead. He opened the fifth with a triple, coming home on a double by Steinmeyer. Salotti added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to give UCR a 7-5 lead.
Simmons gave up five runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings. Sophomore LHP Dan Runzler relieved and allowed one run on one hit and two walks in 1 1/3 innings before Stange closed out the final three innings. The three Highlander pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts.
CSUF starter Wes Roemer entered the game with a BWC-leading 1.46 ERA but was tagged for six runs on ten hits in seven innings. Pestano walked seven in 2 1/3 innings but was the only Fullerton pitcher to issue any free passes. Five Titan hurlers matched UCR with 12 strikeouts of their own.
The victory was UCR's sixth in seventh games against the Titans when Fullerton has been ranked #1 in the nation. It was also the Highlanders' first extra-innings win of the season following three losses.
Thursday, May 21
Monday, May 04
Friday, May 01
Tuesday, March 24
