Saturday, April 27
6:00 PM
UC Riverside
0
vs
2
UC Santa Barbara
Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta
UC Riverside Baseball Loses Pitchers Duel To UC Santa Barbara, 2-0
4/27/2013 9:36:00 PM | Baseball
Riverside—UC Riverside's Ben Doucette and UC Santa Barbara's Justin Jacome engaged in an old-fashioned pitchers duel Saturday evening at The Plex, but the Gauchos were able to generate just enough offense for the 2-0 victory (Box Score/Video Recap).
It is just the second shutout of the season against the Highlanders (17-21, 6-8) who lost a 2-0 game at Portland back on March 16. It is also the seventh straight loss overall for UC Riverside, and its third straight at home.
Jacome (4-3) allowed just two hits on the day keeping the Highlanders in check for seven and two-thirds innings before giving way to closer Dylan Hecht. Clayton Prestridge picked up one of those base knocks with a double in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to 16 games.
Two batters later, Prestridge advanced to third on a fly ball to right field, but UC Riverside couldn't bring him home.
The score was 1-0 UCSB (23-18, 8-6) at that point as the Gauchos got on the board in the top of the sixth. Doucette (2-4) allowed base runners in each of the first five innings, but only one advanced past second base.
In the sixth, however, Robby Nesovic singled to left to open the inning, and moved to second on a Tyler Kuresa single through the right side. Cameron Newell then laid down a sacrifice bunt advancing both runners into scoring position.
Jackson Morrow hit Doucette's first offering down the third base line, and Joe Chavez fielded it cleanly giving him an opportunity to get the lead runner at home. His throw beat Nesovic to the plate, but a hard slide dislodged the ball from catcher Bart Steponovich's grip, and UC Santa Barbara led 1-0.
Doucettte was lifted following the seventh in favor of Mark Garcia who threw one-and-a-third innings of hitless baseball the previous evening, but Newell greeted him with a double to left center as the Gauchos looked to pick up an insurance run. Newell got a little too greedy, however, and one batter later, he was caught trying to steal third for the second out of the frame. Devon Gradford then struck out to end the inning.
Jacome retired the first two Highlanders he faced in the bottom of the eighth, and the Gauchos called their closer, Hecht, out of the bullpen. Prestridge immediately drew a four-pitch walk, but Hecht struck out David Andriese on four pitchers to send the game into the ninth.
Garcia retired Ryan Clark for the first out of the top of the ninth, but lead-off hitter Joey Epperson beat out a single to short, bringing UC Riverside closer Trevor Frank into the game.
Brandon Trinkwon flied out to right center for the second out of the inning, but Epperson stole second during Woody Woodard's at bat, and scored when Woodard singled to right center to make it 2-0 UC Santa Barbara.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Highlanders got Kyle Boudreau on board with two outs thanks to a five-pitch walk, but Alex Rubanowitz popped up to second to end the game.
UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara conclude their three-game Big West Conference series on Sunday at 1 pm PT.
It is just the second shutout of the season against the Highlanders (17-21, 6-8) who lost a 2-0 game at Portland back on March 16. It is also the seventh straight loss overall for UC Riverside, and its third straight at home.
Jacome (4-3) allowed just two hits on the day keeping the Highlanders in check for seven and two-thirds innings before giving way to closer Dylan Hecht. Clayton Prestridge picked up one of those base knocks with a double in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to 16 games.
Two batters later, Prestridge advanced to third on a fly ball to right field, but UC Riverside couldn't bring him home.
The score was 1-0 UCSB (23-18, 8-6) at that point as the Gauchos got on the board in the top of the sixth. Doucette (2-4) allowed base runners in each of the first five innings, but only one advanced past second base.
In the sixth, however, Robby Nesovic singled to left to open the inning, and moved to second on a Tyler Kuresa single through the right side. Cameron Newell then laid down a sacrifice bunt advancing both runners into scoring position.
Jackson Morrow hit Doucette's first offering down the third base line, and Joe Chavez fielded it cleanly giving him an opportunity to get the lead runner at home. His throw beat Nesovic to the plate, but a hard slide dislodged the ball from catcher Bart Steponovich's grip, and UC Santa Barbara led 1-0.
Doucettte was lifted following the seventh in favor of Mark Garcia who threw one-and-a-third innings of hitless baseball the previous evening, but Newell greeted him with a double to left center as the Gauchos looked to pick up an insurance run. Newell got a little too greedy, however, and one batter later, he was caught trying to steal third for the second out of the frame. Devon Gradford then struck out to end the inning.
Jacome retired the first two Highlanders he faced in the bottom of the eighth, and the Gauchos called their closer, Hecht, out of the bullpen. Prestridge immediately drew a four-pitch walk, but Hecht struck out David Andriese on four pitchers to send the game into the ninth.
Garcia retired Ryan Clark for the first out of the top of the ninth, but lead-off hitter Joey Epperson beat out a single to short, bringing UC Riverside closer Trevor Frank into the game.
Brandon Trinkwon flied out to right center for the second out of the inning, but Epperson stole second during Woody Woodard's at bat, and scored when Woodard singled to right center to make it 2-0 UC Santa Barbara.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Highlanders got Kyle Boudreau on board with two outs thanks to a five-pitch walk, but Alex Rubanowitz popped up to second to end the game.
UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara conclude their three-game Big West Conference series on Sunday at 1 pm PT.
Thursday, May 21
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Friday, May 01
Tuesday, March 24
