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(March 1, 2003) -Junior
infielder Tony Festa led off the 10th inning with a deep blast
to right field to lead UC Riverside past USF 8-7
in non-conference baseball action Saturday at Benedetti Diamond.
With the win, the Highlanders
are 5-0 against the Dons this season, and improve to 13-3
overall, while USF falls to 4-10.
San Francisco took their
first lead of the series with a two-run second inning off
of Highlander starter Jaymie Torres, but the Highlanders got
a grand slam homerun in the third from sophomore firstbaseman
Kevin Mangels, his team-leading fifth of the season, to take
a 4-2 lead.
Riverside would add a single
run in the fourth on a Brian Steinmeyer RBI single, but USF
would answer back with a big inning of their own in the sixth.
USF scored four runs in
the sixth, to take the lead again, 6-5. The lead would not
survive the seventh with the Highlanders scoring a pair of
runs on a two-run homer from junior outfielder Ryan Harvey
(4) as UCR pulled ahead 7-6. But the Dons answered in the
bottom half on a RBI single by Nick Cirbo.
Junior left-handed reliever
Derek Tate (0-2) suffered the loss for USF, giving up the
long ball to Festa in the ninth.
Haley Winter (2-1) earned
the relief victory for UC Riverside pitching 3.2 innings of
scoreless relief, allowing just one hit and recorded five
strikeouts. Winter struck out the side in the ninth.
USF hosts the Highlanders
in the series finale Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for
1:00 PM at Benedetti Diamond.
(March 2, 2003) -UC Riverside
continued to swing hot bats, downing San Francisco 10-2
in non-conference baseball action Sunday at Benedetti Diamond.
With the win, UCR improves
to 14-3 on the season, including a perfect 6-0 in two series
sweeps of San Francisco. The Dons fall to 4-11.
After allowing three homeruns in each of the first two games
of the series, USF managed to keep Riverside in the park,
but could not avoid the big innings. The Highlanders posted
five runs in the fourth and added two more in the fifth. USF
runs came on a pair of sacrifice flies by junior outfielder
Joe Jacobitz.
The Highlanders out hit
the Dons 18-6 in the game; 46-31 in the three-game set.
Sophomore Andy Clay paced
the Highlanders going 4-for-5 with three RBI. Ryan Harvey
and Brian Steinmeyer also collected three hits, while Brian
Wahlbrink knocked in three runs as well.
A.J. Shappi (4-0) earned the win for UC Riverside, going 7.2
innings, allowing two runs off six hits to go along with five
strikeouts.
Sophomore right-hander Josh
Reidt (0-1) started strong, but faded in the fourth, allowing
five runs (four earned) off six hits and added three strikeouts.
UCR returns home this weekend,
playing host to Oral Roberts and St. Mary's at the RBI tournament
March 7-9. The Highlanders will be taking on Oral Roberts
at 4:00 PM on Saturday.
(March 8, 2003) - Jaymie
Torres tosses seven solid innings and the UCR offense exploded
for 12 runs on 13 hits in the Highlanders' 12-3 win over Oral
Roberts at the Riverside Invitational Tournament on Saturday.
The Highlanders (15-3) struck
for two in the first as Brian Wahlbrink doubled to lead off
the game. Harvey was hit by a pitch and Tony Festa walked
to load the bases. Kevin Mangels blooped a single into right
field, scoring Wahlbrink and Harvey for a 2-0 UCR lead.
The Highlanders tallied
single runs in the third, fifth and sixth to take a 5-1 lead
over ORU (4-7) before breaking the game open in the seventh
as Randy Blood hammered a three run shot to right field to
put the Highlanders up 8-3. UCR added four runs in the bottom
of the eighth on RBI doubles by Wahlbrink and Mangels.
Wahlbrink finished the evening 4-for-5 with three runs and
a RBI, while Mangels and Blood finished with three RBI each.
Torres (3-0) allowed three
runs on six this and struck out eight, keeping the Golden
Eagles (4-7) off balance all night long. John Martinez finished
the game for the Highlanders, pitching two innings and striking
out four.
ORU starter Dallas Martin
(0-2) pitched 6.2 innings, allowing eight runs-three earned-
on nine hits in taking the loss.
In earlier action, St. Mary's
blew an early four run lead and committed five errors to nearly
waste a later five run lead to hold on 10-8 over Oral Roberts.
St. Mary's (8-9) jumped
out to an early four run lead, tallying four runs on five
hits in the second inning, with the big blow coming by way
of a two-run double by Adam Bellows.
Oral Roberts (4-6) came
back in the bottom half, scoring four runs on two St. Mary's
errors.
ORU took the lead in the fourth on a Welborn RBI ground out
only to have St. Mary's tie it in the fifth on a Bryan Bryne
RBI double.
The Gaels then exploded
for five runs on five hits in the sixth inning, as the Golden
Eagles used three different pitchers to retire the side. Gilbert
Gill and Nick Conte each had two-run singles in the inning.
St. Mary's would have to
hold their breath in the seventh as their defense once again
abandoned them as a costly error led to two unearned runs
in a three run inning which brought Oral Roberts to 10-8 with
the tying runs on base. But reliever Dane Dobrinich (3-2)
got Josh Lex to ground out to end the threat. Jeremy Gonzales
pitched two scoreless innings to earn his first save of the
year. ORU starter Kris Kline (1-3) took the loss.
The RBI Tournament continues
tomorrow as St. Mary’s and UCR playing at 1 PM.
(March 9, 2003) - AJ Shappi
dominated the Gaels allowing just three hits in 6.2 innings,
and the offense erupted, scoring a run in every inning but
the sixth, routing St. Mary’s 10-2
at the UC Riverside Invitational Tournament on Sunday.
Every Highlander collected
a hit by the fourth in the 21 hit attack. The Highlander’s
explosive offense struck for two runs on four hits in each
of the first three innings to open up an insurmountable 6-0
lead.
UCR (16-3) tallied two runs
in the first with two outs on four consecutive singles by
Tony Festa, Kevin Mangels, Randy Blood and Matt Cunningham
for a 2-0 lead.
In the second, Jeff Crinklaw,
Brian Wahlbrink and Ryan Harvey hammered doubles in the second
as SMC (8-10) starter Kevin Trochez (0-1) did not survive
the inning.
AJ Shappi (5-0) meanwhile
cruised, striking out six in pitching six scoreless innings
before tiring in the seventh surrendering a run scoring double
to Nick Conte. Three Highlander relievers closed out the game.
Wahlbrink hit an inside
the park home run in the fifth and finished 4-for-5 with two
runs scored and three RBI.
The Highlanders return to
action on Wednesday , March 12, at UCLA. First pitch is slated
for 3 PM.
(March 12, 2003) - LOS ANGELES,
CA - Third baseman Tony Festa went 5-for-5 with three doubles,
a homer and a single and starter Julio Fernandez had a no-hitter
for five innings as the Highlanders moved to 17-3 overall
with a 10-6 win over UCLA at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Westwood
Wednesday.
UCLA's (12-14) second baseman
Preston Griffin set a new career-high with six RBI, driving
in every Bruin run of the game.
The Highlanders scored
eight runs in the first two innings to build a lead the Bruins
could not overcome. Two first inning doubles, a single and
a sacrifice fly from Kevin Mangels brought two runs across
the plate in the first frame. UCR followed with six runs in
the second as three errors by the Bruins aided the Highlander
rally.
A two-base error would allow
Brian Steinmeyer to advance to third, after reaching base
on a fielder's choice. A RBI-single from Brian Wahlbrink would
drive him in. Wahlbrink was caught attempting to steal second
to put UCLA an out away from ending the inning. A walk and
error would follow, giving the Highlanders another runner
in scoring position. A double, three singles, an error and
a walk would bring five more runs across the plate. After
two innings, the Highlanders led 8-0.
Festa's solo homer gave
the Highlanders a 9-0 lead in the fourth and Fernandez allowed
his first hit in the sixth when Matt Thayer singled after
a lead-off walk to Ryan McCarthy. Brandon Averill followed
with a walk to give the Bruins bases loaded with no outs.
Griffin drove in McCarthy on a sacrifice fly to post the Bruins'
first run of the contest. Consecutive strikeouts followed
and after six, the Highlanders led 8-1.
UCLA added another run
in the eighth after Thayer led off with a single and Averill
reached base after being hit by a pitch. Griffin drove in
his second run of the day with a single. Jason Collette capped
off the Highlander scoring in the ninth with a solo homer.
The Bruin bats had magic left in them as Griffin hit a two-out
grand slam to bring UCLA within four runs, but that was as
close as they would get.
(March 14, 2003) -Santa
Barbara, CA - The UC Santa Barbara baseball team (12-10) defeated
visiting UC Riverside (17-4) 6-3 Friday afternoon at Caesar
Uyesaka Stadium. The Gauchos used 11 hits and a strong outing
by starting pitcher Sean Thompson to claim their twelfth victory
of the season.
Thompson (2-3) earned his
second straight victory scattering 10 hits over seven innings.
UC Riverside's Brian Hoff (2-2) got the loss as he allowed
four earned runs in 5.2 innings of work.
With two outs in the bottom
of the first inning, Matt Wilkerson walked and later scored
on a Taylor Vogt double giving the Gauchos an early lead,
1-0.
UCR regained the lead in
the top of the fifth inning on a two-run homer by center fielder
Brian Wahlbrink, but the Gauchos tied the ballgame at two
in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Vogt.
Brian Adams and Matt Emerick
singled with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Josh
Fulton then scorched a single to left field, scoring Adams
and advancing Emerick to third base. Fulton stole second easily,
but on the play Emerick was thrown out at home attempting
to score from third. Stevens smashed the very next pitch off
the left field wall, scoring Emerick and increasing the Gaucho
lead to 4-2.
UCR threatened in the top
of the eighth inning putting runners at the corners. With
one out, Cunningham singled in Randy Blood and leaving runners
at first and third. Relief pitcher Steve Morlock then struck
out Brian Emmons and induced a Steinmeyer ground ball to end
the inning and preserve the Gaucho lead, 4-3. UCSB added a
pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth.
The teams return to action
on Saturday at 2:00 PM.
(March 15, 2003) -Santa
Barbara, CA -A torrential downpour washed out Saturday's scheduled
game at UC Santa Barbara. The teams are scheduled to play
again Sunday at 1:00 PM with Santa Barbara's Eric Posthumus
going up against either Jaymie Torres or AJ Shappi.
(March 16, 2003) -Santa
Barbara, CA - The UC Riverside Highlanders used a seven-run
eighth inning to defeat host UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, 10-3.
The Highlanders pounded
out 17 hits, including seven in the eighth inning, in support
of Jayme Torres, who moved to 4-0 while allowing two runs
in eight innings of work. UCSB Junior Matt Vasquez (2-2) was
credited with the loss. The win moved the Highlanders to 18-4,
while UCSB fell to 12-11.
Riverside put the game
out of reach scoring seven runs off of three Gaucho pitchers.
With one out in the top of the eighth inning, the Highlanders
barraged UCSB pitching with three straight hits, including
a run scoring double by Ryan Harvey to increase their lead
to 4-2. With two runners in scoring position, Tony Festa doubled
in Harvey and Brian Wahlbrink expanding the UCR lead. The
Highlanders went on to add four more in the inning.
UCSB scored first in bottom
of the first inning, tallying a single run, but the Highlanders
erased the advantage with three runs in the third, coming
on RBI singles by Festa and Randy Blood. UCR scored once again
in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 3-2, but UCR's
outburst put the game away.
The Highlanders are off
for finals but will play Sacramento State in a two game series
on March 22 and 23.
(March 17, 2003) - Junior
3b Tony Festa was named Big West Player of the Week for March
18. Festa collected 11 hits - including two five hit games
- with five runs and five RBI. The junior third baseman slugged
1.125 for the week, going 5-for-5 against UCLA with three
doubles, a homerun and two RBI. Against UCSB on Sunday, Festa
went 5-for-6 with two runs and three RBI, to lead UCR to a
10-3 win. Festa becomes the third Highlander to receive the
honors this season, as Ryan Harvey and AJ Shappi have also
earned the awards.
(March 22, 2003) Returning
to the field after finals’ week, Brian Wahlbink had
five hits and scored five runs to lead UCR past Sacramento
State 14-4 at
the Riverside Sports Complex on Saturday.
Wahlbrink led off the game
with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Tony Festa
to put the Highlanders (19-4) on the board. Randy Blood lined
a two-out run-scoring double down the right field line as
UCR tallied two first inning runs.
The Highlanders broke the
game open in the second frame, sending 11 batters to the plate
and scoring six runs on six hits off of Sacramento State starter
Renecke Stelzriede (2-1). Matt Cunningham legged out an infield
single to lead off the inning and Brian Emmons lined a double
into left field. Brian Steinmeyer followed with a single for
a 3-0 lead. Wahlbrink then smashed a two-run triple and UCR
led 5-0.
Two runs would later score
on errors, and Cunningham wrapped up the inning with his second
hit of the frame, a RBI single to left to put UCR up 8-0
Ryan Harvey hammered a two-run
home run, his fifth of the season, to left field in the third
for a 10-0 UCR lead.
AJ Shappi (6-0), pitching on13 days rest with his last start
being rained out at Santa Barbara, was sharp tonight, fanning
eight batters in five solid innings -surrendering one run
on two hits - before departing with a 12-1 lead.
Four Highlander relievers
finished the game allowing three runs on four hits.
Brian Wahlbrink finished
the game five-for-six with five runs scored and two RBI. Freshmen
Matt Lawson and Aaron Grant recorded their first career hits.
The Highlanders return to
action at 1 PM tomorrow, sending Jaymie Torres (4-0, 2.49)
to the hill to face the Sacramento State Hornets’ Marshall
Plouffe (4-1, 1.87).
(March 23, 2003) - Randy
Blood hit a towering home run to straight away center field,
and Tony Festa hit a two run shot in the fifth inning to lead
UCR past Sac State
6-2 at the Riverside Sports Complex on Sunday.
With one out in the second,
Blood crushed the offering from Sac State starter Marshall
Plouffe (4-2) to straight away center field to put UCR (20-4)
up 1-0. In the fourth, Blood doubled home Kevin Mangels for
a 2-0 lead.
The following inning, Festa
put the game away with his shot to right field giving UCR
a commanding 4-0 lead. The cushion was more than enough for
Highlander starter Jaymie Torres (5-0), who tossed 6.1 solid
innings, allowing two runs on eight hits in earning the win.
Sac State broke through
against Torres in the sixth, as Jesse Schmidt, who led off
with a walk, came all the way around to score when the Highlanders
could not turn an inning ending double play. UCR got the run
back in the bottom half of the inning, as Blood doubled and
later scored on a Matt Cunningham sacrifice fly.
The Highlanders return
to action on Wednesday, playing at Loyola Marymount University
at 2:00 PM.
(March 24, 2003) - Senior
shortstop Randy Blood was selected as Big West Player of the
Week, the conference office announced Tuesday. It was the
second consecutive week that a Highlander took the award,
as Tony Festa earned the honor last week.
Blood led UC Riverside to
consecutive wins against Sacramento State, going a combined
6-for-8 with three RBI and three runs scored, including three
doubles and a towering home run that cleared a 15-foot wall
over center field. The senior infielder leads the team with
a .426 batting average and 26 RBI.
(March 26, 2003) - The UC
Riverside Highlanders moved to 21-4 on the season with a 5-3
win over Loyola Marymount at Page Stadium in Los Angeles Wednesday.
The win was their 13th in the last 15 games, while LMU dropped
to 16-10.
Senior Julio Fernandez squelched
a Lion rally in the bottom of the ninth, recording the final
two outs with the go-ahead run at the plate.
UCR took a 1-0 lead in the
top of the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Randy Blood
that scored Brian Wahlbrink, then added to their advantage
in the third. Ryan Harvey hit a one-out double off LMU starter
Joshua Muecke, which was followed by Kevin Mangels' sixth
home run of the season, giving UCR a 3-0 lead.
The Highlanders added to
their advantage after Blood and Jason Collette reached safely
to lead off the sixth inning. Matt Cunningham followed with
a single down the rightfield line to plate two more runs.
LMU first got on the board
with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a pair
of walks by UCR starting pitcher and winner Brian Hoff (3-2)
to Joe Frazee and Whitesell, Smith followed with a single
to load the bases.
Lion third baseman Jonathan
Oller hit a single to plate Frazee, while Carl Stoeber lifted
a sacrifice fly ball to score Whitesell, moving LMU to within
5-2.
LMU scored another run in
the bottom of the eighth, but threatened for much more. With
two outs, UCR relief pitcher Dan Ellis hit Frazee with a pitch.
Jonathan Higashi followed with a bloop single that scored
Frazee from first base. Whitesell and Smith also reached base
to load the bases. Chad Decker came on for his first appearance
of the season and struck out Oller to end the inning.
Muecke (1-2) was charged
with the loss, throwing three innings, while allowing three
runs on four hits. Hoff earned the victory to move to 3-2
on the year.
The Highlanders continue
on the road to Nevada to take on the Wolfpack in a three game
series beginning Friday in Reno.
(March 27, 2003) - The game
between UC Riverside and the Anaheim Angels single A affiliate
Ranch Cucamonga Quakes, scheduled for April 7th, has been
cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. It will not be rescheduled.
(March 28, 2003) - Reno,
NV. - The University of Nevada scored 15 runs in its last
five at bats to win the first game of a three-game series
from UC Riverside 17-8 at
Peccole Park in Reno, Friday afternoon. With the win the Wolf
Pack pulled within one game of the .500 mark at 13-14 while
the Highlanders lost for just the fifth time this season falling
to 21-5 overall.
Both teams scored two runs
in the first inning and UCR added two more in the top of the
third inning to take a 4-2 lead. The Wolf Pack would score
five runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth inning
and never trailed the rest of the in winning 17-8.
Center fielder Chris Dickerson
reached on an error by UCR second baseman Brian Steinmeyer
to start the fourth inning and first baseman Ben Mummy followed
with a walk. Right fielder Chris Gimenez stepped the plate
and fouled off his first bunt attempt but then drilled the
0-1 pitch over the left center field fence to give the Pack
a 5-4 lead. Designated hitter Tony Cappuccilli drove in the
other two runs of the inning with a two RBI single to left
field to increase the advantage to three, 7-4. Single runs
in the fifth and sixth innings gave the Pack a 9-4 lead. UCR
scored a pair in the top of the seventh on RBI doubles by
right fielder Ryan Harvey and third baseman Tony Festa.
The Wolf Pack matched the
Highlanders with two runs in the bottom of the seventh on
RBI singles by left fielder Erick Streelman and Cappuccilli.
A six run Nevada eighth inning turned the game into a rout
as the Pack led 17-6 heading into the ninth inning. UCR tallied
a pair of runs in the ninth, one coming on pinch hitter Aaron
Grant s first home run of the year, to make the final score
17-8.
Nevada ace Mateo Miramontes(5-1)
improved to 5-1 on the season and won his fourth consecutive
start pitching 6.1 innings allowing six runs, five earned
Game two of the series
is slated for 1:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon at Nevada s Peccole
Park.
(March 29, 2003) - Reno,
NV. - The University of Nevada baseball team held off a late
UC Riverside rally to win game two of a three-game series
8-6 at Peccole Park on Saturday
afternoon.
The win was the Wolf Pack's
fifth in the last six games and evened their record at 14-14.
UCR fell to 21-6.
Nevada jumped on UCR starter
Jaymie Torres in the bottom of the second inning scoring four
runs on four hits, then added a pair of runs in the fourth
on three hits to extend the lead to 6-0. A solo home run by
Tony Cappuccilli to lead off the fifth inning made the score
7-0 in favor of Nevada.
UCR started its rally with
three runs in the top of the sixth off Nevada starter JT Sherman.
Right fielder Ryan Harvey, and third baseman Tony Festa singled
in the inning and scored on designated hitter Jason Collette s
fourth home run of the season closing the gap to 7-3.
Cappuccilli hit his second
home run in as many at bats in the seventh inning, chasing
Torres.
A double by first baseman
Kevin Mangels and a single by shortstop Randy Blood to start
the top of the eighth inning knocked Sherman from the game.
Nevada closer Zak Basch came out of the bullpen and got the
first hitter to lineout to short but a double by left fielder
Matt Cunningham scored one run. Catcher Jeff Crinklaw s single
scored the second run of the inning and the third run of the
inning came home on a ground ball out to first base making
the score 8-6. Basch retired the next four batters, including
a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to preserve the Pack victory. Sherman(3-3)
won his third game of the year to even his record at 3-3 after
allowing five runs in seven innings of work. He struck out
five in the game. Torres (5-1) lost for the first time this
season after giving up eight runs in his 6.2 innings pitched.
Cappuccilli went four-for-four with two RBI in the game. The
four hits is tied for the team single game high this season
and the two home runs is the most hit by a Pack player in
a game this season.
Harvey led UCR with three
hits on the day. Mangels(2-for-5,2R) and Crinklaw(2-for-3,RBI)
ended the game with two hits each.
The Highlanders and Wolf
Pack play the final game of the series at Peccole Park at
1:00 p.m.
(March 30, 2003) - Reno,
NV. - The UC Riverside Highlanders salvaged the final game
of a three-game series with the University of Nevada, winning
3-2 in 10 innings at Peccole
Park in Reno Sunday.
The Highlanders (22-6) took
a 2-1 lead into the ninth behind starter Julio Fernandez,
who walked the lead-off batter. After a sacrifice bunt, Chad
Decker relieved and threw a wild pitch to move the runner
to third. Robert Marcial followed with an RBI double one out
later to tie the game at 2-2.
Highlander center fielder
Brian Wahlbrink homered off Wolf Pack reliever Brandon Gottier
to start the top of the 10th, and Decker rebounded to retire
the side in order in the bottom of the 10th for his first
collegiate victory (1-0).
Nevada (14-15) took a 1-0
lead in the first, but UCR took a 2-1 lead when Brian Emmons
homered and Wahlbrink later scored on an RBI double by Tony
Festa.
After allowing the first
two Pack batters hits in the game the next 16 Nevada players
failed to get a hit of Fernandez, who pitched 8.1 innings
and struck out six in the game. Gottier(2-3) suffered his
second loss of the week after giving up one run on two hits
in his inning of action.
Wahlbrink(2-for-5,R,RBI)
and Emmons(2-for-4,R,RBI) were the UCR hitting stars with
two hits each. Both drove in runs with solo homers, Festa
plated the other UCR run in the game with his RBI double.
The Highlanders play a non-conference
game at USC on Tuesday.
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