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(Nov.
21, 2005) - The UC Riverside baseball team has signed ten
players to National Letters of Intent during the early signing
period, Head Coach Doug Smith announced Monday. All ten players
hail from California and will join the Highlanders for the
2006-07 season.
Five
pitchers highlight the early signings. Brian Lewis, Kesler
Reifel, Cristian Garcia and Kevin Dickey are all righthanders
while Paul Applebee brings a lefty arm onto the staff. At
6-2, Dickey (Mission Viejo, CA) can also play in the outfield
and is a solid hitter, batting .310 with 13 RBI and seven
stolen bases. “Kevin has a power arm and breaking ball
combined with great athleticism,” Smith said.
Lewis
(Phelan, CA), a 6-5 righty from Serrano High School, was First
Team All-CIF for the CIF champion Diamondbacks, going 9-1
with a 1.35 earned run average and 58 strikeouts in 62 innings
pitched. “Brian has a high ceiling,” Smith said.
“His command is outstanding for a big guy and he has
the chance to develop into a dominating college pitcher.”
Reifel
(Redlands, CA) comes to UCR from Redlands High School, where
he currently plays under former Highlander assistant coach
Estevan Valencia. Reifel stands at 6-1 and can reach the low
90s on his fastball. “Kesler has great arm strength
and feel for a breaking ball and change,” Smith said.
“He’s very polished and mature for his age.”
Garcia
(El Cajon, CA) was named the Grossmont North League Pitcher
of the Year for 2005 and was Second Team All-East County for
El Capitan High School. The 5-11 Garcia went 9-2 with a 2.28
ERA and 66 strikeouts in 70 innings in helping his team to
the league championship. “Cristian is a proven winner
who will excel at UCR athletically and academically,”
Smith said.
Applebee
(Ontario, CA) will add another dimension to the Highlander
staff as the tall lefty (6-3) was named First Team All-Sierra
League in 2005 for Damien High School. Applebee was 7-4 with
a 2.23 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 62.2 innings and figures to
be inserted into the Highlanders’ plans immediately.
“Paul is one of the best high school left-handed pitchers
in Southern California,” Smith said.
Smith
also brings on board three infielders. Bryan Horst (Riverside,
CA) was an all-conference shortstop at Martin Luther King
High School, hitting .395 with two home runs and 10 RBI in
2004. “Bryan is a great defensive shortstop,”
Smith said of the 5-10 Horst. “He has a chance to make
an immediate impact in our program.”
Ben Price is a 6-2 switch-hitting utilityman who was a 42nd
round pick of the Cincinnati Reds in 2004 but instead went
to the College of Marin. Price hit .308 with 10 doubles and
17 stolen bases in 2005. “Ben is athletic and physical,”
Smith said. “He has the ability to play every position
in the infield and provide some maturity at the plate.”
Switch-hitting
6-1 catcher Michael Brezden (Anaheim Hills, CA) rounds out
the infield contingent. Brezden was an All-Century League
selection, having hit .372 with two home runs, 10 doubles,
17 RBI, and a slugging percentage of .641 for Canyon of Anaheim
High School. “Michael has power potential from both
sides of the plate and has great receiving skills,’
Smith said.
Two
outfielders, Michael Hur and Joe Kelley, complete UCR’s
early signings. Hur (Stevenson Ranch, CA) hit .368 with two
homeruns and 25 RBI in earning First Team All-Foothill Conference
honors at Valencia High School. “Michael is a potential
middle-of-the-order hitter,” Smith said. “He can
drive the ball to all fields and possesses great offensive
abilities.”
The
six-foot Kelly (Corona, CA) is a versatile athlete who played
both the outfield and pitched for Corona High School. “Joe
projects very well,” Smith said. “His arm strength
is the best we have seen in the outfield this year. He is
very athletic and runs extremely well.”
UCR
went 28-27 in 2005, Smith’s first year as head coach.
The Highlanders open the 2006 season February 3-5 at the University
of San Francisco.
(July
25, 2006) - With the summer league season in full swing, UC
Riverside baseball players have left their mark across the
nation in summer collegiate and professional leagues. Five
Highlanders were named to All-Star teams with an additional
garnering Player of the Week honors.
• In the Cal Ripken,
Sr. Baseball League (Maryland), RHP D.J. Smith was named to
the All-Star team. Smith, of the Rockville Express, threw
one inning of relief, striking out two and allowing one hit
as the game finished in a 4-4 tie. For the season, Smith is
1-3 with a 6.98 ERA.
• In the West Coast
Collegiate Baseball League, INF Mark Samuelson and LHP Marc
Rzepczynski, teammates on the Aloha Knights, were both named
to the All-Star teams, playing for the West Team. Samuelson
started at first base and went 1-for-4 with two runs scored
while Rzepczynski struck out one in a perfect inning of relief
as the game ended in a 6-6 tie. In 25 games, Samuelson is
second on the Knights with a .304 batting average with three
home runs and 17 RBI. Rzepczynski is a perfect 5-0 with 1.38
ERA, striking out 47 in 39.0 innings.
• Also in the WCCBL,
OF Carl Uhl was named the league's Player of the Week for
July 10-16 after compiling multiple hits in three games for
the Spokane RiverHawks. Uhl hit .500 (7-for-14) with a triple,
stolen base, and four RBI. For the season, Uhl has played
in 30 games, hitting .286 with 12 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
• In the Cape Cod
Summer League, RHP James Simmons is one of four Cotuit Kettleers
to be named to the West All-Stars for their All-Star game
to be held July 29. Simmons is 4-1 with a 1.24 ERA for the
first-place Kettleers. He is fifth in the league in ERA and
tied for first in wins. Simmons was also mentioned in a recent
article on ESPN.com about the Cape Cod Summer League. Click
here
for the article.
• Former Highlander
Anthony Claggett was named to the Baseball America
Midseason All-Star team. Claggett, a RHP for the West Michigan
Whitecaps (Single-A) in the Tigers' system, is 5-2 with a
1.02 ERA. He had posted eight saves and struck out 44 in 44
innings pitched.
(August
31, 2006) - UC Riverside pitchers James Simmons and Marc Rzepczynski
have been included in the top-10 prospect lists for their
respective summer collegiate baseball leagues, according to
Baseball America. Simmons and Rzepczynski were just
two of many Highlanders who had outstanding summer seasons.
Simmons (Norco, CA/Norco
HS), a righthander entering his junior season, was the eighth-best
overall prospect in the highly-regarded Cape Cod League. Simmons
went 4-2 with a 1.18 Earned Run Average (third in the league)
for the Cotuit Kettleers. He also had 44 strikeouts while
walking only five batters in 53.1 innings. Simmons was named
to the All-Star team and was the Kettleers' co-Most Valuable
Player.
Baseball America touted
Simmons by writing, "Simmons doesn't have a true plus
pitch in his fastball-curveball-cutter-changeup repertoire,
but that didn't stop him from carving up Cape hitters. He
gets good late life on his fastball and had the best command
in the league (44-5 K-BB ratio in 53 innings) because he repeats
his delivery so easily."
"He's the best pro
pitching prospect up here," Cotuit manager Mike Roberts
said. "He's not the hardest thrower, but he's the most
polished. He's a strike thrower who can throw his fastball
to both sides of the plate extremely well and with confidence.
He changes speeds well."
Rzepczynski (Yorba Linda,
CA/Servite HS), a lefty entering his senior year, was listed
as the fourth-best prospect out of the West Coast Collegiate
League. Playing for the Aloha Knights, Rzepczynski posted
a perfect 6-0 record with a 2.25 ERA and 58 strikeouts in
52 innings. He was also named to the league's all-star team.
Baseball America
says of Rzepczynski, "Undrafted as a college junior,
Rzepczynski was one of the league's most polished pitchers.
His high-80s fastball had some life to it and he showed an
ability to change speeds effectively."
Simmons and Rzepczynski
were not the only Highlanders to be making noise this summer:
• Also in the Cape
Cod League, soon-to-be junior RHP Adam Reifer (Mira Loma,
CA/Jurupa Valley HS) went 2-1 with a 3.22 ERA for the Hyannis
Mets. In 16 appearances, Reifer struck out 14 in 22 innings
and was clocked at 97 mph. LHP Dan Runzler (Simi Valley, CA/Chaminade
HS) was a teammate of Simmons' in Cotuit, posting a 2.45 ERA
and 24 stirkeouts in 25 innings. Drafted in June by the Seattle
Mariners, Runzler will be returning to UCR for his junior
season.
• Senior RHP Taylor
Bills (Menifee, CA/Paloma Valley HS) starred in the Alaska
Collegiate League for the Kenai Peninsula Oilers. Normally
a starter for the Highlanders, Bills led the league with nine
saves in helping the Oilers to the league championship. He
was 3-2 with a 2.62 ERA and had 19 strikeouts in 24 innings.
• Incoming sophomore
OF Carl Uhl (Phelan, CA/Serrano HS) was named first team all-league
in the West Coast Collegiate League, hitting .301 with one
home run for the Spokane River Hawks. Uhl was second in the
league with 19 stolen bases and walked 22 times. He was named
the league's Player of the Week for July 10-16 after hitting
.500 (7-for-14) with a triple, stolen base, and four RBI in
three games.
(November
22, 2006) - UC Riverside junior pitcher James Simmons
had been included in the 2007 Wallace Watch released Monday
by the College Baseball Foundation in Lubbock, TX. The Brooks
Wallace Award is presented annually to the national college
baseball player of the year.
Simmons, a 6-3 righthander
from Norco, CA, led the Highlanders in 2006 with a 9-5 record
and 2.96 earned run average. He also struck out 94 in 109.1
innings while walking 19. In his two seasons in Riverside,
Simmons is 12-6 with a 2.96 ERA and is the Highlanders' career
leader in strikeout-walk ratio at 5.13. In August, Simmons
was included in the top-10 prospect list for the Cape Cod
Summer League, according to Baseball America.
UCR went 29-25 in 2006,
the second season under Head Coach Doug Smith. In Big West
Conference play, the Highlanders were 9-12, finishing in a
three-way tie for fifth.
Simmons is one of five Big
West Conference players on this season's list, joining pitchers
Wes Roemer of Cal State Fullerton and Blair Erickson of UC
Irvine. Pacific infielder Justin Baum and Long Beach State
outfielder Robert Perry round out the Big West contingent.
The Wallace Watch includes
120 players and will be trimmed to 12 semi-finalists by late
May. The selection committee will narrow the list to three
finalists following the NCAA Super Regionals, prior to the
College World Series. The finalists, their head coaches, and
their parents will be invited to Lubbock, TX, for a schedule
of special events tied to the award banquet, which will again
be nationally televised by Fox Sports Network and Fox College
Sports. The 2006 winner, Brad Lincoln of Houston, signed last
summer to play professionally for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Dedicated to the memory
of former Texas Tech shortstop and assistant coach, Wallace
was a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977 to
1980. A 4-year starter, he was named All-Southwest Conference
and All-District Six his senior year when he led the Red Raiders
to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference
Tournament. After playing two years in the Texas Rangers organization,
he returned to Texas Tech and served as a graduate assistant
and later as an assistant coach. In the summer of 1984 he
was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease courageously
until his death on March 24, 1985, at age 27.
The selection committee
for the Wallace Award is comprised of a national panel of
preeminent coaches, sports information directors, former winners
and beat media who most closely follow the sport. Screening
Committee members will evaluate the candidates and will continue
their review throughout the entire baseball season. The list
will expand and contract during the regular season and additional
Wallace Watch candidates may be added as the season progresses.
Voting for the three finalists and the Wallace Award winner
will be conducted by confidential balloting, with totals tabulated
by the J.W.Anderson & Associates accounting firm in Lubbock,
TX.
(November
29, 2006) - For the second time in as many weeks, UC
Riverside junior pitcher James Simmons has been included in
a preseason national award watch list, as he was one of 62
pitchers named to the 2007 Roger Clemens Award watch list,
released Tuesday. The Roger Clemens Award is presented annually
to the national college pitcher of the year. Last week, Simmons
was named to the Wallace Award Watch List for the collegiate
player of the year.
Simmons, a 6-3 righthander
from Norco, CA, led the Highlanders in 2006 with a 9-5 record
and 2.96 earned run average. He also struck out 94 in 109.1
innings while walking 19. In his two seasons in Riverside,
Simmons is 12-6 with a 2.96 ERA and is the Highlanders’
career leader in strikeout-walk ratio at 5.13. In August,
Simmons was included in the top-10 prospect list for the Cape
Cod Summer League, according to Baseball America.
UCR went 29-25 in 2006,
the second season under Head Coach Doug Smith. In Big West
Conference play, the Highlanders were 9-12, finishing in a
three-way tie for fifth.
There are 62 pitchers on
this season’s Clemens Award list, including four from
the Big West Conference. Simmons is joined by Wes Roemer of
Cal State Fullerton and Blair Erickson and Scott Gorgen of
UC Irvine.
The finalists for the 2007
Roger Clemens Award will be selected in voting by a national
panel that includes all Division I head baseball coaches,
a selection of national media who cover collegiate baseball,
and the 16 winners of the R.E. “Bob” Smith Award,
a precursor to the Clemens Award thatwas presented to the
top player in the country from 1988-2003. In addition, the
10 previous finalists for the Clemens Award are also issued
ballots. The 2007 award will be presented at a gala dinner
next July.
Now in its fourth season,
the Roger Clemens Award was named after future Hall of Famer
Roger Clemens, who began his march to stardom while leading
the University of Texas to the College World Series title
in 1983. As a major leaguer, Clemens has won 348 games (eighth
best in history), fanned more than 4,600 hitters and won seven
Cy Young Awards.
The event is administered
by the Greater Houston Baseball Association, which has donated
more than $300,000 to charities from the net procceds from
the first three gala dinners. The GHBA is a non-profit organization
dedicated to the growth of amateur baseball in the Houston
area.
(December 28, 2006) - For
the second time in the school’s six-year Division I history,
UC Riverside has been included in the preseason baseball rankings,
appearing in the “Receiving Votes” category of the
College Baseball Newspaper poll. The publication also listed
junior righthanded pitcher James Simmons as a Second Team Preseason
All-American.
Coming
off a season in which the Highlanders went 29-25 under second
year Head Coach Doug Smith, they return 16 letterwinners,
including six starting position players and three starting
pitchers, along with three players who logged 20+ innings
out of the bullpen in 2006. The Highlanders had the eighth-toughest
schedule in the nation last season and this year is no different.
UCR will face six teams ranked in the Collegiate Baseball
Newspaper top-40 and another five who are receiving votes.
The last time UCR was listed on a preseason poll was 2003,
when the Highlanders were ranked 34th by Collegiate Baseball
Newspaper and went on to make the program’s only Division
I postseason appearance to date.
Simmons,
a 6-3 righthander from Norco, CA, led the Highlanders in 2006
with a 9-5 record and 2.96 earned run average while gaining
Second Team All-Big West Conference honors. He struck out
94 in 109.1 innings while walking 19 and had three outings
in which he struck out 10+ batters. In his two seasons in
Riverside, Simmons is 12-6 with a 2.96 ERA and is the Highlanders’
career leader in strikeout-walk ratio at 5.13.
In
August, Simmons was included in the top-10 prospect list for
the Cape Cod Summer League, according to Baseball America.
He is also featured on this year’s preseason Wallace
Award (Player of the Year) and Clemens Award (Pitcher of the
Year) watch lists.
UCR
opens the 2007 campaign at home February 1-3 against the University
of Nevada.
(January 5, 2007) - The
annual UC Riverside baseball alumni weekend has been scheduled
for Friday-Saturday, January 26-27. The weekend includes a
golf tournament on Friday and the Alumni Game on Saturday.
The weekend kicks off with
an 11 a.m. shotgun golf tournament at Menifee Lakes Golf Course
on Friday. Entry is $165 per person and will be played in
a four-person scramble format. The entry fee includes golf,
dinner, and tee prizes.
Saturday's Alumni Game will
start at 1 p.m. at the Riverside Sports Complex. UCR will
recognize the 1982 Division II National Championship team
at the game and again at a reception at the Mission Inn from
7-11 p.m.
For more information or
to sign up for the Alumni Game or golf tournament, please
contact Head Baseball Coach Doug Smith at (951) 827-5441 by
January 22.
(January 9, 2007) - UC
Riverside’s baseball team has been picked to finish
second in the Big West Conference, according to the 2007 Preseason
Coaches Poll, released today by the conference office. This
is the highest the Highlanders have ever been picked in their
six-year Big West history and follows their earlier inclusion
in both the Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball
Newspaper Preseason Polls.
UCR received 50 total votes,
two more than third place UC Irvine, who had 48 total votes
and one first-place vote. Three-time defending conference
champion Cal State Fullerton is again the preseason favorite,
earning 63 total votes and seven first-place votes. Long Beach
State is fourth with 43 points, followed by Cal Poly (31),
UC Santa Barbara (23), Pacific (22), and Cal State Northridge
(eight).
Coming off a season in which
the Highlanders went 29-25 under second year Head Coach Doug
Smith, they return 16 letterwinners, including six starting
position players and three starting pitchers, along with three
players who logged 20+ innings out of the bullpen in 2006.
UCR went 9-12 in the Big West last year to finish in a tie
for fifth.
UC Riverside has also been
included in two national preseason polls. The Highlanders
were ranked a program-best 26th by Baseball America
and were in the “Receiving Votes” category in
the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll.
UCR opens the 2007 campaign
at home February 1-3 against the University of Nevada.
| Rank |
School (First-place votes) |
Total Votes |
| 1. |
Cal St. Fullerton (7) |
63 |
| 2. |
UC Riverside |
50 |
| 3. |
UC Irvine (1) |
48 |
| 4. |
Long Beach St. |
43 |
| 5. |
Cal Poly |
31 |
| 6. |
UC Santa Barbara |
23 |
| 7. |
Pacific |
22 |
| 8. |
Cal St. Northridge |
8 |
(January 27, 2007) - The
2007 UC Riverside baseball team broke open a 1-1 tie with
10 unanswered runs to register a 12-1 victory over the Highlander
alumni Saturday afternoon at the Riverside Sports Complex.
It was the fourth straight win in the series by the current
UCR squad and the second consecutive by a 12-1 scoreline.
Senior 3B Kyle Barratt went
3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored, falling a home
run short of the cycle. The Highlanders banged out 14 hits
to six for the alums.
UCR took a 1-0 lead in the
third off alumni reliever Anthony Claggett (2003-05). Barratt
led off with a single and, two outs later, junior SS Jaime
Pedroza put UCR on the board with a single to left.
The alumni struck back in
the top of the fifth. Junior starting LHP Dan Runzler walked
Brian Wahlbrink (2001-03) and Tony Festa (2002-04) followed
with an RBI double to right center. Runzler left after that,
having tossed 4 1/3 innings and allowing one run on three
hits while striking out four and walking one.
The current squad broke
the game open with three runs in the sixth and six in the
seventh. In the sixth, freshman RF Joey Gonzales singled to
left and then stole second off Brian Hoff (2001-04). With
two outs, junior C Jeff Dunbar had an excuse-me swing that
resulted in a double to right, scoring Gonzales. Barratt followed
with a triple to right-center, coming home on a single by
freshman DH Ryan Goetz that made it 4-1.
The game was put away in
the seventh. Freshman SS Bryan Horst tripled to center and
scored on a single by Gonzales. After two walks loaded the
bases, a passed ball brought home Horst. Dunbar hit a sacrifice
fly to deep left that plated another run and Barratt hit a
double to right-center for the fourth run of the inning. A
single by redshirt freshman 2B Phil Boscarino and a triple
by sophomore CF Carl Uhl accounted for the rest of the Highlander
runs.
Two more runs scored in
the eighth on an RBI groundout by Dunbar and a wild pitch.
Prior to the game, UCR honored
the 25th anniversary of their 1982 Division II National Championship.
Over 30 alumni were on hand for the game, which capped an
alumni weekend that included a golf tournament and a banquet.
(February 1, 2007) - UC
Riverside got the 2007 season off to a winning start, beating
visiting University of Nevada 8-4 Thursday afternoon in front
of 303 fans at the Riverside Sports Complex. The 26th-ranked
Highlanders win their fifth season opener in six Division
I seasons to improve to 1-0 while dropping the Wolf Pack to
2-2.
Eight different Highlanders
accounted for UCR's 11 hits. Sophomore center fielder Carl
Uhl led the way, going 3-for-4 with two RBI in his first career
start and junior left fielder Aaron Wible went 2-for-4 and
also drove in two. Senior LHP Marc Rzepczynski (1-0) picked
up the win, allowing two earned runs on five hits and striking
out six in five innings of work.
The Highlanders got on the
board first in the bottom of the third inning with a two out
RBI infield single up the middle by Wible. Wible's hit scored
freshman DH Ryan Goetz, who led off the inning with a single
to right field. The Highlanders picked up another run on the
same play as Uhl advanced to third on the Wible single then
scored after UNR shortstop Chris Siewart threw wide of first
base and allowed Uhl to score from third, making the score
2-0.
UCR added another run in
the bottom of the fourth on consecutive doubles by senior
third baseman Kyle Barratt and junior catcher Jeff Dunbar.
The Wolf Pack answered in
the top of the fifth with two runs scoring on RBI singles
by Konrad Schmidt and David Ciarlo. With runners on first
and second, Rzepczynski was able to get out of the inning
with a pair of strikeouts to end the Wolf Pack rally.
UCR struck back in the sixth
on a two run double by Uhl. Freshman pinch-hitter Michael
Hur had singled to right, advancing all the way to third on
a wild pitch. After a walk to junior second baseman Ben Price,
Uhl doubled to right center scoring both runners and increasing
the Highlander lead to 5-2. The Highlanders put the Wolf Pack
away in the eighth with three runs, highlighted by back-to-back
two out RBI singles by Wible and redshirt freshman first baseman
Mark Samuelson.
UNR put together a small
rally in the ninth off of Highlander senior reliever Pat Cassa.
A two run double by Dan Eastham cut the UCR lead to 8-4, but
that would be all for the Wolf Pack as Cassa got two groundouts
to pick up the save. Cassa allowed two runs on two hits and
struck out three in four innings of relief for the Highlanders.
Wolf Pack starting pitcher
Ryan Rodriguez took the loss, allowing three runs in five
innings to fall to 0-1.
The Highlanders improve
to 4-2 in season openers since joining Division I in 2002.
(February 2, 2007) - UC
Riverside won its season-opening series, banging out 17 hits
in a 12-8 victory over the University of Nevada Friday afternoon
at the Riverside Sports Complex. The 26th-ranked Highlanders
improve to 2-0 while dropping the Wolf Pack to 2-3.
Senior DH Nick Salotti collected
four hits and drove in two and sophomore CF Carl Uhl had his
second straight three-hit day as seven different Highlanders
registered at least one RBI. Junior RF Mike Vass knocked in
three, including a two-run homer, and junior LF Aaron Wible
and redshirt freshman Mark Samuelson also drove in two runs
each.
UCR scored early and often,
putting three runs on the board in each of the first two innings
off Rod Scurry (0-1). Uhl led off the bottom of the first
with a single and moved to third on junior SS Jaime Pedroza's
double to left-center. With one out, Samuelson delivered an
RBI groundout for the game's first run. Vass then lined a
two-run homer to left for a 3-0 lead.
The Highlanders tacked on
three more runs in the second. Freshman 2B Bryan Horst singled
to right with one out and Uhl walked to put runners on first
and second. Pedroza then singled to right to knock in Horst
and advanced to second on the throw home. With runners on
second and third, Wible hit a grounder to short that scored
Uhl while Pedroza was called safe at third when Chris Siewart's
throw was late. Samuelson knocked in Pedroza with a single
to right, making it 6-0.
That was all the support
needed for UCR junior righthander James Simmons. After hitting
the game's first batter and walking another in the first,
he struck out the last two batters to start a stretch of retiring
eight in a row. He gave up a single run in the fourth but
picked up the win, allowing five hits and striking out five
in five innings of work.
Scurry lasted just 2 1/3
innings, allowing six runs on eight hits and three walks.
Ben Colton allowed four runs on five hits and three walks
in two innings of work and Matt Renfree was tagged for two
runs on four hits in two innings. Shaun Kort drove in two
runs for Nevada.
UCR tacked on a single
run in the fourth and three more again in the fifth. Senior
3B Kyle Barratt hit an RBI single in the fourth that made
it 7-1. Uhl then led off the fifth with a double, moving to
third on a groundout. Wible singled in the first run and moved
to second on a walk to Samuelson. Vass followed with an RBI
single up the middle and a Salotti single to left plated Samuelson.
Trailing 12-1, Nevada mounted
a rally in the late innings. Three walks, three singles, including
Shaun Kort's two-run single to right, and a sacrifice fly
led to five Nevada runs in the eighth. After UCR loaded the
bases but could not score in the bottom of the eighth, Konrad
Schmidt homered to left to make it 12-8.
(February 3,
2007) - UC Riverside completed its season-opening sweep of
Nevada, holding on for a 9-8 victory Saturday afternoon at
the Riverside Sports Complex. The 26th-ranked Highlanders
improve to 3-0 while dropping the Wolf Pack to 2-4.
Junior second baseman Ben
Price led the way for the Highlanders going 2-for-2, driving
in three, and scoring four runs. Sophomore reliever Stephen
Penney picked up his first career save, striking out four
in the final 1 1/3 innings to close the door on the Wolf Pack
(2-4).
Nevada got on the board
in the first after Chris Siewart led off the game with a single
up the middle and stole second, advancing to third on a throwing
error during the steal attempt. Siewart came home on an RBI
ground out by David Ciarlo to take a 1-0 lead for the Wolf
Pack.
UCR answered right back
with a run in their half of the first to tie the game 1-1.
The Highlanders had runners on the corners after junior left
fielder Aaron Wible earned a two out walk and advanced to
third on a single up the middle by redshirt freshman first
baseman Mark Samuelson. Junior right fielder Mike Vass then
singled up the middle to score Wible. Nevada escaped the inning
after Wolf Pack starting pitcher Mario Rivera got senior DH
Nick Salotti to fly out to center after UCR had loaded the
bases.
Nevada retook the lead in
the top of the second on a solo home run by Terry Walsh but
the Highlanders came back with two runs in their half to take
a 3-2 lead. Junior catcher Jeff Dunbar led off the inning,
reaching first on an error and advancing to second base on
a passed ball before coming home on a single up the middle
by Price. Sophomore center fielder Carl Uhl was hit by a pitch
and both runners moved up a base with junior shortstop Jaime
Pedroza's sacrifice bunt. Wible picked up another RBI with
a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Price from third.
The Highlanders increased
their lead with three runs in the third. Senior third baseman
Kyle Barratt reached first base after Wolf Pack shortstop
Siewart had a ground ball go right through his legs. Salotti
then singled though the left side and both runners moved into
scoring position on a sac bunt by Dunbar. Price doubled just
inside the first base bag, driving in both runs. Uhl made
the score 6-2 with a RBI single, scoring Price from second.
Nevada took advantage of
a Highlander mistake in the fifth when UCR junior rightfielder
Mike Vass allowed a single by Jason Sadoian to get past him,
scoring Jason Rodriguez all the way from first. Nevada tied
the game at 6-6 after picking up three more runs in the inning,
with two runs coming off a single to right by Shaun Kort.
Runzler's day ended after the Kort single, allowing five earned
runs on six hits and striking out six in 4 2/3 innings of
work. Highlander sophomore relief pitcher D.J Smith came in
and shut the door on the Wolf Pack rally.
UCR answered the Wolf Pack
in a big way. Price again started the rally with a lead off
walk and one batter later the Highlanders took the lead 8-6
on a two-run home run from Pedroza high into the trees beyond
the right field fence. The Highlanders added an insurance
run in the seventh that proved to be the difference maker.
UCR had runners on second and third after Price led off the
inning with a walk. He advanced to second on a single by Pedroza
and both runners moved up a base on a balk call. Wible picked
up his second RBI with a sac fly to score Price to increase
the score 9-6.
Nevada again rallied in
the eighth, this time off of Highlander senior reliever Taylor
Bills, loading the bases with one out. Bills surrendered four
walks in the inning and an infield single, leading to two
runs in the inning for the Wolf Pack and cutting the UCR lead
to 9-8. Penney came on with the bases loaded and ended the
rally with a strikeout. Penney stayed in and closed the door
on the Wolf Pack in the ninth, striking out the side to preserve
the win for UCR.
Smith (1-0) picked up the
win for the Highlanders after allowing only one hit in two
scoreless innings in relief of Runzler. Kyle Howe (0-1) took
the loss for Nevada.
(February 5,
2007) - UC Riverside sophomore center fielder Carl Uhl opened
the 2007 season with a bang, earning his first career Big
West Conference Player of the Week award, the conference office
announced Monday. This was the first week the award was handed
out this year.
Making
his first collegiate starts, Uhl (Phelan, CA/Serrano HS) reached
base in 13 of his 15 plate appearances, collecting multiple
hits in each of the games as UCR recorded a season-opening
three-game sweep over Nevada. For
the week, Uhl hit .778 and slugged 1.000 while posting an
on-base percentage of .867 thanks to five walks and one hit
by pitch. He also hit a pair of doubles, scored four runs,
drove in four, and stole a base.
In
Thursday's season-opener, Uhl had his first career three-hit
game, going 3-for-4 and driving in two in an 8-4 win. He followed
that with another three-hit outing on Friday, this time scoring
three times and walking another three times. He ended the
weekend with a 1-for-2 effort Saturday, reaching base twice
more via a walk and a hit by pitch. He also added a sacrifice
bunt and stole a base.
(February 9,
2007) - UC Riverside won its fourth straight game, defeating
Gonzaga University 9-3 on Friday afternoon at the Riverside
Sports Complex. The Highlanders improve to 4-0 while dropping
the Bulldogs to 0-4.
Senior
LHP Marc Rzepczynski (2-0) went a shade over six innings,
giving up three runs on seven hits and four walks while striking
out six. Brandon Harmon (0-2) took the loss, allowing six
runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck
out three.
Sophomore
CF Carl Uhl had his third three-hit game in four outings,
going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Junior LF Aaron
Wible was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, the fourth of his
career. Freshman Mark Samuelson and junior C Jeff Dunbar also
had a pair of hits while junior LF Mike Vass drove with three
in a 1-for-3 effort.
Rzepczynski
struggled to open the game, walking the first two batters
and hitting the next to load the bases. Ryan Wiegand then
sent the first pitch he saw over the shortstop's head to drive
home the game's first two runs. A sacrifice fly by Mark Castellitto
made it 3-0.
UCR
threatened in the first when Uhl stayed hot, doubling down
the left field line to lead off. After Uhl moved over to third
on a sacrifice bunt, junior SS Jaime Pedroza lined a shot
but it was snagged by Wiegand at first and Uhl was stranded.
The
Highlanders wasted no time in tying the game in the bottom
of the second. Samuelson singled to open the inning and senior
DH Nick Salotti was hit by a pitch. The next batter, Wible,
fell behind 0-2 but worked the count back to 2-2 before smashing
a three-run homer over the fence in left-center to tie it
at 3-3.
An
RBI groundout by Vass gave UCR a 4-3 lead in the third. Pedroza
had led off the inning with a ground-rule double to right
and advanced to third on a passed ball.
Rzepczynski
left in the sixth after giving up singles to the first two
batters. On came sophomore RHP D.J. Smith, who retired the
next three in order to get the Highlanders out of the inning
and preserve the 4-3 lead. UCR pulled away in the late innings
by tacking on two more runs in the seventh. Uhl was hit to
open the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch before
moving to third on an infield groundout. After an intentional
walk to Pedroza, Vass hit a sacrifice fly to center, marking
the end of the day for Harmon. He was replaced by Chris Griffith,
whose first offering resulted in an RBI double from Samuelson
to make it 6-3.
The
Highlanders completed the scoring with three more runs in
the eighth off Jeremy Stumetz. Wible led off with a single
and went to second when the ball was bobbled by Castellito
in left. Senior 3B Kyle Barratt doubled Wible in and advanced
to second on a single Dunbar. A fielder's choice by Uhl brought
home Barratt and a sacrifice fly from Vass made it 9-3.
(February 10,
2007) - UC Riverside stayed perfect to open the season, defeating
Gonzaga University 11-4 on Saturday afternoon at the Riverside
Sports Complex. The Highlanders improve to 5-0 while dropping
the Bulldogs to 0-5.
Junior
RHP James Simmons improved to 2-0, allowing just one hit and
an unearned run over six innings. He struck out five and walked
none, throwing 79 pitches including 56 for strikes.
Senior
DH Nick Salotti went 3-for-4 with four RBI, smashing a pair
of doubles to move into fifth place on the UCR career doubles
list with 55. Junior LF Aaron Wible went 2-for-4 with two
RBI and junior RF Mike Vass and junior SS Jaime Pedroza also
picked up two hits apiece as UCR banged out 14 hits total.
For
the second straight day, UCR put three runs on the board in
the bottom of the first inning. Uhl led off with a walk and
scored two batters later on a double to right by Vass. Uhl
slipped coming around third and tried to go back but Vass
was already advancing to third. The throw from the outfield
was offline, enabling Uhl to turn around and score, with Vass
ending up on third. Freshman 1B Mark Samuelson singled Vass
home and then Salotti made it 3-0 with a double down the left
field line.
The
Highlanders added a run in the second when Uhl was hit by
a pitch, then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing
error by Gonzaga catcher Tyson Van Winkle. Pedroza followed
with a single to left to knock in Uhl. Gonzaga answered back
with an unearned run in the top of the third when Ben Greenslitt
reached on an error, advancing to second on the throw and
to third on a passed ball. He then came home on a grounder
by Van Winkle.
UCR
knocked out Bulldog starter Chris Highmark in the third when
Vass chopped a single to short and Samuelson walked. Salotti
then lined a 3-2 pitch to right for his second double of the
game, bringing home Vass and marking the end of Highmark’s
day. On came C.J. McClure, who got the next three outs to
get out of the inning unscathed.
In
the meantime, Simmons was cruising, retiring the first six
batters and 11 of the first 12 until Ryan Wiegand’s
single to right with two outs in the fourth broke up the no-hitter.
That would be the only hit Simmons gave up, as he left after
six innings with an 11-1 lead.
UCR
continued its offensive push with four unearned runs in the
fourth. After two errors, a hit batter, and a walk loaded
the bases, Salotti delivered a two-run single to left. Wible
followed with a two-run single of his own for a 9-1 Highlander
lead. Two more runs came across in the sixth when freshman
pinch-hitter Phil Boscarino singled to bring home Wible, who
had doubled to lead off. Boscarino scored two batters later
on a sacrifice fly.
A
two-out, bases-clearing double by Wiegand in the eighth brought
the visitors back to 11-4.
Highmark
(0-2) allowed five runs, all earned, on six hits in two-plus
innings. He struck out two and walked two. Wiegand finished
with a 2-for-4 effort and three RBI.
(February 11,
2007) - UC Riverside rallied late but could not push across
the tying run, suffering its first loss of the season, 3-2
to Gonzaga University on Sunday afternoon at the Riverside
Sports Complex. The Highlanders fall to 5-1 while the Bulldogs
gain their first win to improve to 1-5.
Trailing
3-0, UCR rallied in the bottom of the seventh. With one out,
junior RF Mike Vass dribbled a single down the third base
line that stayed just fair. Freshman 1B Mark Samuelson followed
with a single to right that moved Vass to third and senior
DH Nick Salotti came through with an RBI single that made
it 3-1. Samuelson was then thrown out at home on a grounder
to third for the second out. Heads-up base running and some
Bulldog defensive miscues allowed a second run to come home
when senior 3B Kyle Barratt struck out swinging but the ball
got away from catcher Dustin Colclough. Colclough chased the
ball down and threw to first but his throw was low, allowing
Barratt to reach. Freshman Joey Gonzales, who was pinch-running
for Salotti, never stopped running and came across to cut
it to 3-2. Junior C Jeff Dunbar was hit by a pitch to load
the bases but sophomore CF Carl Uhl grounded into a fielder’s
choice to short to leave the bases loaded.
UCR
had another chance to tie it in the bottom of the ninth. After
Gonzaga stranded runners on first and third in their half,
Gonzaga starter Clayton Mortensen came back out for the ninth
and gave up a lead-off single to Gonzales. Junior LF Aaron
Wible bunted him over to second and freshman pinch-hitter
Ryan Goetz scorched a shot to first but Ryan Wiegand came
up with it for out number two. With the tying run 90 feet
away, Dunbar fell behind 0-2 but ran the count back to 3-2
before drawing the walk. That brought up Uhl and his five-game
hitting streak on the line but Mortensen’s 143rd pitch
of the game resulted in his 11th strikeout.
Mortensen
(1-1) went the distance, allowing six hits and two runs (one
earned). He struck out 11 and walked three. Wiegand went 3-for-5
with an RBI and Aaron McGuinness drove in a run with a pair
of hits.
Junior
LHP Dan Runzler (0-1) took the loss, giving up all three runs
on four hits in five innings. The erratic Runzler struck out
a career-high eight but walked four. A day after his 23rd
birthday, Salotti extended his hitting streak to five games,
going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The
rain that hit Riverside in the morning had given way to sunshine
by the opening pitch. Having trailed for all but an inning
and a half in the series, Gonzaga looked to strike early,
taking advantage of a pair of walks in the first to put runners
on first and second. Runzler got out of it by striking out
the side. Leading off the second, Mark Castellitto reached
second on an error by Vass but he was stranded there when
Runzler recorded his fourth strikeout and then got the next
two batters to fly out.
Gonzaga
took its first lead of the series since the first inning on
Friday in the third on McGuinness’ double into the right-center
gap that scored Evan Wells, who led off the inning with a
walk. After a groundout moved McGuinness over, Wiegand drove
in his sixth run of the weekend with a single to right that
made it 2-0.
Both
pitchers made light work in the early innings. Despite walking
four through the first four innings, Runzler gave up just
the two hits and struck out eight. Mortensen was doing better,
facing one over the minimum and taking a no-hitter into the
fifth before Salotti led off with a single up the middle.
The
Zags knocked out Runzler in the sixth when Wiegand blooped
a double to left. The next batter, Colclough, layed down a
sacrifice bunt but Barratt’s throw from third was offline,
allowing Colclough to reach. Castellito followed with a double
off the wall in right-center that made it 3-0 and marked the
end of Runzler’s day. He was replaced by senior LHP
Pat Cassa, who got the first out with a grounder to Barratt
at third. After walking Brian Winston to load the bases, Cassa
struck out Michael Rhodes and Wells to get the Highlanders
out of the inning.
(February 13,
2007) - UC Riverside suffered its second consecutive 3-2 loss,
this time at #15 UCLA Tuesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium
in Westwood, CA. The Highlanders fall to 5-2 while the Bruins
improve to 3-4.
Finding themselves trailing
3-0 for the second straight game, the Highlanders rallied
in the ninth against Brant Rustich. With one out, freshman
1B Mark Samuelson walked, advancing to second on a wild pitch.
After senior DH Nick Salotti struck out for the second out,
another wild pitch moved Samuelson to third. Junior LF Aaron
Wible then walked to put runners on the corners. Freshman
pinch-hitter Ryan Goetz followed with a clutch single, just
the Highlanders' second hit of the game, bringing home Samuelson
and moving Wible to third. Wible came home when Rustich uncorked
his third wild pitch of the inning, allowing Goetz to advance
into scoring position. But Rustich came back to strike out
junior C Jeff Dunbar to end the game, picking up his second
save of the year.
Jason Novak (1-0) earned
the win, throwing four innings in relief of Garett Claypool.
Novak struck out seven and allowed one hit. Claypool went
three innings, allowing no hits and UCLA had a no-hitter going
until senior 3B Kyle Barratt doubled with one out in the fifth
inning. Barratt went to third but was stranded when junior
SS Jaime Pedroza popped up to end the inning.
The Bruins scored a pair
of unearned runs in the first to take the lead. With one out,
Brandon Crawford singled to right and went to second on a
single by Tim Stewart. Mickey Weisser grounded a ball to first
but Samuelson's throw to second was off-line, loading the
bases. Ryan Babineau followed with a single to center, scoring
Crawford and Stewart.
Another UCR error allowed
UCLA to add a valuable third run in the seventh. With two
outs, Crawford tripled down the right field line off of sophomore
RHP Stephen Penney. Junior RHP Adam Reifer replaced Penney
and got Stewart to ground to Barratt but the ball got away,
allowing Crawford to come home.
Senior RHP Taylor Bills
(0-1) took the loss, allowing six hits and two unearned runs
in five innings. He struck out five and walked two before
giving way to Penney.
(Feb. 16,
2007) - UC Riverside junior starter James Simmons threw a
four-hit shutout and tied the UC Riverside Division I record
for single-game strike outs with 15 as the Highlanders cruised
to a 3-0 win over the visiting University of San Francisco
Dons, 3-0 in front of 238 fans at the Riverside Sports Complex
in Riverside Friday.
UCR improved to 6-2 while
USF fell to 4-3.
Simmons' performance ties
the school mark set by Chris Smith on May 25, 2002 against
UC Irvine. Simmons allowed just four hits and walked one,
facing four batters over the minimum.
The Highlanders scored twice
in the third as junior right fielder Mike Vass doubled home
freshman shortstop Brian Horst, who led off with a single.
Moments later freshman first baseman Mark Samuelson singled
to score Vass.
UCR loaded the bases in
the seventh inning, but were only able to plate one run as
Samuelson's sacrifice fly scored sophomore center fielder
Carl Uhl, who had reached on an error.
For the Dons, Aaron Poreda
(1-1) took the loss, allowing eight hits and two earned runs
in 5.2 innings. He struck out seven and walked none.
(Feb. 17,
2007) - The UC Riverside Highlanders pounded out 14 hits as
defeated the University of San Francisco Dons, 9-2, in a non-conference
game in front of 286 fans at the Riverside Sports Complex
in Riverside Saturday.
UCR improved to 7-2 while
USF fell to 4-4.
Sophomore reliever D.J.
Smith (2-0) earned the win in relief of senior starter Pat
Cassa. Cassa allowed six hits and one uneared run in 4.1 innings
of work, but left in favor of Smith when the first two runners
reached in the fifth. Smith squelched the rally, then pitched
a scoreless sixth to earn the win. Sophomore Stephen Penny
allowed one run in two innings of work and sophomore Matt
Montgomery closed out the game with a scoreless ninth.
For the Dons, starter Jason
Dufloth (2-1) took the loss, allowing 10 hits and five earned
runs in six innings of work.
The Highlanders struck first,
scoring four times in the second as junior left fielder Aaron
Wible singled with one out, then advanced to second on a wild
pitch. One out later freshman third baseman Phil Boscarino
lined a double just inside the bag at third to score Wible,
then came home himself a few moments later on a single by
freshman second baseman Bryan Horst. Sophomore center fielder
Carl Uhl then beat out a single to short to keep the inning
alive and stole second. Junior shortstop Jaime Pedroza followed
with a single up the middle to score two more and give UCR
the 4-0 lead.
The Dons answered with a
single run in the fourth as Luke Sommer reached on an error
and came home on an RBI single by Jon Norfolk to make it 4-1.
UCR scored a single run
in the sixth as Boscarino doubled and came around on an RBI
single by Uhl, then added two more in the seventh as junior
outfielder Mike Vass singled, advanced to third on a pair
of wild pitches, then came home on a sacrifice fly by senior
first baseman Nick Salotti. Wible followed a an RBI double
off the wall in right center to score freshman first baseman
Mark Samuelson, who had walked, to make it 7-1.
The Dons scored a single
run in the eighth off of Penny, as pinch hitter Zack Kim singled
then came around on a double by Sommer.
In the eighth UCR scored
two more as Boscarino walked and scored on a Pedroza single.
Pedroza advanced to second on a balk, then scored on a single
by Vass to make it 9-2.
Wible finished the game
3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Boscarino was 2-for-3 with
three runs scored and Pedroza was 2-for-5 with three RBI.
(Feb. 18,
2007) -The University of San Francisco Dons salvaged the final
game of their weekend series with a 5-3 win over the host
UC Riverside Highlanders in a non-conference game in front
of 342 fans at the Riverside Sports Complex in Riverside Sunday.
UCR is now 7-3 while USF
improved to 5-4.
UCR junior starter Dan Runzler
(0-2) took the loss, allowing four earned runs and 10 hits
in 5.1 innings of work. USF starter Matt Baugh (1-0) allowed
two earned runs and eight hits in 7.1 innings. John Quine
earned his second save by recording the final two outs in
the ninth
UCR opened the scoring on
a long home run by designated hitter Nick Salotti to left
center, but USF answered with two runs in each of the fourth
and fifth innings. IN the fourth Lucas Delong singled, then
came home a few moments later on a double play grounder by
Mitchell Bialosky. However, the Dons' Daniel Morales kept
the rally alive with a towering home run that just carried
over the wall in left-center for a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth, USF got an
RBI single by Luke Sommer and a RBI ground out by Chris Bacigalupi
to give the Dons a 4-1 lead.
The Highlanders scored once
in the fifth as they took advantage of a pair of USF errors.
Junior catcher Jeff Dunbar singled to lead off the inning,
then freshman second baseman Bryan Horst and sophomore centerfielder
Carl Uhl each reached on errors, with Dunbar coming around
on the second miscue to make it 4-2. USF scored an insurance
run in the seventh as Joey Railey singled, then came home
on a double by Sommer to make it 5-2.
Salotti struck again in
the eighth with a booming home run that hit about half way
up the the light pole in straight-away left field.
UCR put two runners on in
the ninth inning, but were unable to tally the tying runs.
(Feb. 19,
2007) - UC Riverside junior James Simmons earned his second
career Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week award, winning
for February 12-18 it was announced Monday. This was just
one of a number of accolades on the week for Simmons, who
was also named the InsidePitching.com West Region Player of
the Week and one of the Louisville Slugger National Players
of the Week by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
In his first Friday night
start of the season, Simmons tossed a four-hit complete game
and tied the UC Riverside Division I record with 15 strikeouts
in the Highlanders' 3-0 win over visiting San Francisco. His
15 strikeouts tops his previous career high of 10, achieved
three times last season, and ties Chris Smith’s five-year
old school record. It was Simmons' first complete game and
he faced just four batters over the minimum, throwing 128
pitches, 95 for strikes. He allowed just one runner to reach
second.
Simmons, a 6-4 righthander
from Norco, improved his record to 3-0 on the season and lowered
his ERA to 0.45. He has 25 strikeouts in 20.0 innings this
year and opponents are hitting just .147 against him. Simmons
was also named Big West Pitcher of the Week on February 6,
2006 and he is the second Highlander to be honored by the
conference office this season, following sophomore OF Carl
Uhl's Player of the Week nod in the opening week.
(Feb. 20,
2007) - Sophomore CF Carl Uhl went 3-for-4 with three stolen
bases as UC Riverside posted a 6-3 exhibition win over visiting
University of British Columbia on Tuesday afternoon at the
Riverside Sports Complex.
UCR
jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an
RBI groundout by freshman 2B Ryan Goetz. Goetz added a sacrifice
fly in the second and senior 1B Kyle Barratt followed with
a two-run double to stake the Highlanders to a 4-0 advantage.
The Highlanders manufactured a run with two outs in the fourth
when Uhl singled home junior SS Ben Price, who had walked
and stolen second. UCR went on to load the bases in the inning
but was unable to add to its lead.
In
the meantime, UCR's pitchers were keeping the Thunderbirds
at bay. Freshman starter Matt Montgomery allowed a lead-off
single to Sammie Starr but that would be the only UBC hit
until the fifth, when Starr beat out an infield single to
second.
The
Thunderbirds got through for a pair of runs in the sixth.
Leadoff hitter Brendan Kornberger doubled off the wall in
left off sophomore RHP Matt Rossman but Rossman came back
to get the next two outs. Freshman RHP Kevin Dickey came on
as UCR's fourth pitcher of the day and promptly walked Dave
Dick. Dickey then balked to put the runners on second and
third before Tyler Willson scooted a grounder up the middle
to bring home Dick and Kornberger.
Three
consecutive singles led to another Highlander run in the seventh,
with Barratt hitting a soft liner into left for his third
RBI of the game. UBC bounced back with three straight singles
in the eighth to pull a run back but Dickey limited the damage
to a single run by inducing a double-play ball and getting
a flyout to end the inning.
UBC
brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth off senior
RHP Taylor Bills. After retiring the first two batters, Bills
gave up a single and a walk to bring up Kornberger. Bills
got Kornberger to ground out to second to pick up the save.
Uhl
reached base in his first four plate appearances and finished
with a 3-for-4 effort with three stolen bases and an RBI.
Barratt went 2-for-4 with three RBI while Goetz drove in two.
Montgomery
was credited with the win, allowing one hit and striking out
two in two innings. The Highlanders used six pitchers on the
day and they combined to allow eight hits and strike out nine.
Doug
Grant was charged with the loss, giving up five runs on nine
hits in five innings. Starr and Kornberger each had two hits.
UCR travels to San Diego State this weekend for a three-game
series starting Friday at 6 p.m.
(Feb. 23,
2007) - UC Riverside left it late but overcame a ninth-inning
deficit with four runs to post a 4-1 win at San Diego State
Friday night at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Highlanders improve
to 8-3 on the year and drop the Aztecs to 7-5.
For
the first eight innings, it looked like it would not
be the Highlanders' day as Aztec starter Donnie Hume took
a no-hitter and 1-0 lead into the ninth. Hume had two stretches
in which he struck out 11, allowing a single baserunner on
an error in the first and a walk in the fifth. UCR got to
him in the ninth, though, when freshman 2B Bryan Horst broke
up the no-hitter with a lead-off single to right. Freshman
Joey Gonzales came on to pinch-run for Horst and moved to
third on sophomore CF Carl Uhl's double down the right field
line. That was the end of the day for Hume (2-2), who was
on the hook despite allowing just two hits and a walk while
striking out 10.
Hume was replaced by Shane
Kaufman, who walked junior SS Jaime Pedroza to load the bases.
But ball four got away from catcher Chris Anderson, bringing
home Gonzales with the tying run and allowing Uhl to move
to third. Freshman pinch-hitter Ryan Goetz followed with a
sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 and redshirt freshman 1B Mark
Samuelson delivered a run-scoring triple to right-center for
the inning's third run. After another Aztec pitching change,
Samuelson came home on a sacrifice fly by junior LF Aaron
Wible.
Junior RHP James Simmons
(4-0) went toe-to-toe with Hume for all nine innings for his
second consecutive complete game. After allowing a run on
two singles in the first, Simmons gave up just one hit the
rest of the way and closed the game by retiring 14 of the
final 15 hitters he faced. He allowed three hits and two walks
overall, striking out nine and facing four batters over the
minimum.
San Diego State jumped out
to a 1-0 lead in the first when leadoff hitter Pat Colwell
singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Troy Hanzawa
bunted for a single to move Colwell to third and the run came
home on a groundout to second by Brandon Glover. Cameron Johnson's
single in the fifth accounted for the only other Aztec hit
off Simmons.
Horst finished 1-for-3 to
extend his hitting streak to four games.
(Feb. 24,
2007) - There was no need for late-inning heroics on Saturday
as UC Riverside scored in each of the first eight innings
to pound hosts San Diego State 16-4 at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The Highlanders win their fourth consecutive series to open
the year and improve to 9-3 while the Aztecs fall to 7-6.
UCR took advantage of a
pair of lead-off walks by Bruce Billings in the first, pushing
across a run on junior LF Aaron Wible's single up the middle.
The Aztecs came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of
the inning on Nick Romero's triple after senior RHP Taylor
Bills had also issued two walks in the inning. Billings walked
two more batters in the top of the second, leading to freshman
RF Joey Gonzales tying it at two with a two-out RBI single.
Yet again, SDSU regained
the lead thanks to Bills' wildness. Bills hit Brian Lucas
and sent him to second on a wild pitch before Aaron Brady
singled him home. Wible did not waste any time in handing
the lead back to UCR, hitting his second home run of the season,
a two-run shot in the top of the third for a 4-3 advantage.
SDSU would tie it up one more time in the bottom of the frame,
with Bills walking the first two batters before being replaced
by senior LHP Pat Cassa. The first batter Cassa faced, Pat
Colwell, loaded the bases on a bunt single and Cassa walked
in a run on the third Highlander walk of the inning. With
the bases loaded and no outs, Cassa got out of the jam by
striking out Lucas and Brady and then getting Brandon Decker
to fly out.
That would be the end of
the scoring for San Diego State as Cassa settled down to allow
just one hit over the next four innings while striking out
a career-high nine to pick up the win and improve to 1-0.
By the time he left in the middle of the eighth, UCR had run
off 12 straight runs to turn the game into a route.
The visitors took the lead
for good in the fourth without getting the ball out of the
infield. Junior 3B Ben Price opened the inning with a single
to short and advanced to second when sophomore CF Carl Uhl
reached on an error by the pitcher, Mike Koons. After a sacrifice
fly moved the runners over and a walk loaded the bases, redshirt
freshman Mark Samuelson grounded into a fielder's choice,
bringing home Price.
The Highlanders added single
runs in the fifth and sixth before blowing it open with five
runs in the seventh and four more in the eighth. Junior SS
Jaime Pedroza capped the seventh with a three-run homer, his
second of the season, and then added a two-run single in the
eighth after Price had driven in two with a double.
Koons (1-1) was tagged with
the loss, allowing two unearned runs on three hits and two
walks in 2 2/3 innings. The starter, Billings, lasted just
two innings, walking five and giving up four runs on three
hits. The Aztecs used eight pitchers on the day.
Wible finished 3-for-6 with
three RBI to increase his team-leading total to 16. Pedroza
drove in a career-high five runs in a 2-for-5 effort and Price
also collected two hits while driving in three. In his second
career start, Goetz had his first career multi-hit game, going
3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Also making his second
career start, sophomore C Jordan Opdyke went 2-for-3 with
an RBI and three runs scored. Opdyke also walked three times
as UCR took advantage of 11 walks and four Aztec errors.
Making his first start of
the season in place of injured senior LHP Marc Rzepczynski,
Bills lasted two innings, allowing four runs on two hits and
four walks while striking out two. Cassa and two other relievers
combined to shut out the Aztecs and allow just two hits the
rest of the way.
(Feb. 25,
2007) - San Diego State salvaged the final game of the weekend
series, beating UC Riverside 5-0 Sunday afternoon at Tony
Gwynn Stadium in San Diego, CA. Having already clinched the
series with wins in the first two games, the Highlanders fall
to 9-4 while the Aztecs improve to 8-6.
For
the second time in three days, a San Diego State pitcher flirted
with a no-hitter before coming up short but this time the
final outcome favored the Aztecs. On Friday, Donnie Hume took
a no-hitter into the ninth before the Highlanders rallied
for four runs in the ninth for the win. On Sunday, SDSU
left-hander Lance Sewell (2-0) pitched into the seventh inning
before allowing a one-out single through the left side of
the infield by UCR junior SS Jaime Pedroza.
After
a two-out walk in the first to Pedroza, Sewell retired 17
in a row before Pedroza got his team's only base hit in the
seventh. Sewell was in control
throughout his seven innings of work, allowing just the one
walk and hit while striking out 10.
The
Aztecs opened the scoring in their first at bat as Cameron
Johnson drew a leadoff walk from UCR lefty starter Dan Runzler.
He then stole second and advanced to third when junior C Jeff
Dunbar's throw skipped into center field. A groundout to second
by Brandon Glover brought Johnson home.
SDSU
doubled its lead in the third when Chris Anderson's slow roller
on the left side was thrown away by Runzler, resulting in
a single and two-base error to put Anderson at third. Runzler
looked to be getting out of the jam by striking out the next
two batters but Troy Hanzawa came through with an RBI single
to right to make it a 2-0 contest.
The
two unearned runs were enough to send Runzler (0-3) to his
third defeat of the season although he would be charged with
two earned runs when San Diego State added three in the bottom
of the seventh. He lasted six innings, allowing four runs
(two earned) on three hits and three walks while striking
out eight.
SDSU
Pat Cowell began that three-run outburst with a double to
left center after which Mike Willeford drew a walk, spelling
the end to Runzler's afternoon. A sacrifice bunt by Garett
Green preceded an intentional one-out walk to Anderson to
load the bases. Brian Lucas
then singled to left to bring home two runs before Hanzawa's
two-out single added the third run of the inning to give the
home side a 5-0 advantage.
The
Highlanders did not fair much better against SDSU reliever
Aaron Brady. Brady was brought on to pitch in the eighth and
he retired six of the seven men he faced over the final two
frames, walking one and striking out three.
(Feb. 27,
2007) - The 20th-ranked UC Riverside Highlanders used a big
six-run second inning to claim a 9-4 win over the 16th-ranked
University of San Diego Tuesday evening in a non-conference
game at the Riverside Sports Complex. The Highlanders win
their third straight against the Toreros to improve to 10-4
while dropping USD to 11-6.
The
Highlanders jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning
as redshirt freshman 1B Mark Samuelson hit a two-out run-scoring
double to bring in junior SS Jaime Pedroza, who had walked.
USD
looked to rally and tie in the second off of junior LHP Marc
Rzepczynski. Logan Gelbrich led off with a double and advanced
to third on Daniel Magness’ bloop double to right-center.
Sean Nichol then flew out to center but it was not deep enough
to score Gelbrich. With only one out, Rzepczynski got out
of the inning by getting a double play. Rzepczynski struck
out Shane Buschini on a 3-2 pitch and Magness, who was going
on the pitch, was gunned down at second by junior C Jeff Dunbar
for the third out.
That
would prove to be pivotal as the Highlanders broke through
with six runs in the bottom of the inning to take a commanding
7-0 lead. Back-to-back singles put runners on first and third
and led to a Dunbar sacrifice fly. After a double to center
by junior 3B Ben Price put runners on second and third, sophomore
CF Carl Uhl singled home the second run of the inning and
Price came home when the throw from the outfield got away.
That would be the end of the day for USD starter Chad Blauer,
giving way to James Meador, who promptly walked Pedroza on
four pitches. After throwing two straight balls to junior
RF Mike Vass, Meador finally got a pitch over the plate, which
Vass met and sent over the left field fence for a three-run
homer that made it 7-0.
The
Toreros broke into the scoring column with a single run in
the third and two in the fourth. Kevin Muno led off the inning
with a single up the middle and stole second. Justin Snyder
then moved Muno to third on a single to right field and Josh
Romanski drove in the first Torero run of the game, reaching
on a fielder's choice to move the score to 7-1. San Diego
took back two more runs in the fourth thanks to a couple defensive
miscues by the Highlanders. With one out and a runner on first,
Nicol hit a roller to short that he beat out but Pedroza’s
throw was wild, moving the runners to second and third. Buschini
then drove in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice
fly to center field and a wild pitch by Rzepczynski accounted
for the second USD run.
UCR
wasted no time in increasing its advantage, scoring once each
in the fourth and fifth. In both innings, the leadoff hitter
doubled, first by Pedroza and then by freshman 2B Bryan Horst.
Pedroza was singled home by Samuelson while Horst came in
on a single by Price. USD claimed an insurance run in the
seventh inning but could pull no closer.
Making
his first start since February 9, Rzepczynski returned to
pick up the win and improve to 3-0 on the year. He lasted
five innings, striking out seven and walking one while giving
up three runs (one earned) on five hits. He was followed by
three Highlander pitchers, who combined to register six strikeouts
and give up five hits over the final four innings.
Pedroza
finished the game 2-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored.
Vass drove in three with his homer in a 1-for-4 effort and
Samuelson, Price, and Horst each had two hits as UCR knocked
out 12 hits in all.
Nicol
led the way for USD as he went 3-for-4 with one double and
one run scored. Muno was 2-for-3 with one double and one run
scored. Blauer (0-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing five
runs on five hits in 1.1 innings of work.
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