Feb. 20, 2015
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Jordan Abernathy's pinch hit home run in the top of the ninth proved to be the difference as UC Riverside defeated San Diego State, 3-2, Friday evening to hand the Aztecs their first loss of the season. The result means that SDSU and UCR both have 5-1 records entering the two weekend contests between the teams.
San Diego State got off to a positive start as Ty France staked his team to a 2-0 lead when he homered in the bottom of the first with Danny Sheehan aboard. That, however, would be the extent of the Aztecs' run production on the night as UCR starter Keaton Leach tossed six innings of shutout ball following the opening frame.
UC Riverside fought back with a run in its half of the third on an RBI single by Vince Fernandez and then tie the contest on his solo home run to right in the fifth.
Both of those Highlander runs would come against SDSU starter Bubba Derby, who would go five innings allowing seven hits with a pair of walks and eight strikeouts. Aztec pitchers struck out a total of16 batters on the night.
In the top of the ninth redshirt freshman reliever Jacob Erickson entered the contest from the Aztec bullpen with one out and was greeted by Abernathy's blast over the left field fence. It marked the fifth straight game in which Erickson appeared and he took the loss to fall to 0-1.
Riverside closer Jordan Kron came on in the bottom of the inning and retired the side in order to record his second save of the season. The win went to Highlander reliever Gabe Gertner, who had come on to pitch the pervious frame.
France ended the evening with two hits with catcher Seby Zavala also registering a pair of singles.
San Diego State UC Riverside now move to the Riverside Sports Complex where they will play single games on Saturday (Feb. 21) and Sunday (Feb. 22) at 3:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. respectively.