May 17, 2016
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UC Riverside struck for six runs in the opening inning and never looked back as it defeated San Diego State, 8-3, Tuesday evening at the Riverside Sports Complex.
With the victory, the Highlanders improved to 22-27 on the year while the Aztecs saw their record drop to 17-35.
UCR came out swinging as it sent 11 batters to the plate and put six runs on the board against a pair of SDSU pitchers. Those runs came on three doubles, two singles and three walks as the home side took a commanding lead that it would not relinquish the remainder of the evening.
Five of those Highlander runs came with Aztec starter Adrian Orozco on the mound. The junior right-hander went the opening two-thirds of an inning surrendering three hits and walking a pair after retiring the game's first batter.
Orozco, who would take the loss to even his record at 1-1 on the year, gave way to senior Zack Oakley, who allowed a run on two hits and walked one.
Things didn't get much better for the Aztecs in the UCR second inning as Vince Fernandez greeted new SDSU pitcher Dalton Douty with a towering home run down the right field line to give the Highlanders a 7-0 lead.
San Diego cut into the lead with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth with the help of a couple UCR miscues. With two out, Spencer Thornton walked and David Hensley singled to put men at first and second. Jordan Verdon's grounder into the hole at shortstop was grabbed by Colby Schultz, but his throw sailed over the first baseman's head. The error allowed Thornton to score and SDSU added another run on a passed ball that brought home Hensley and made it a 7-2 contest.
Riverside added its final run in its half of the sixth on a single, wild pitch and RBI base hit to left to make it an 8-2 contest.
The Aztecs added a consolation run when they loaded the bases on an error, walk and single in the seventh before reliever Hazahel Quijada gave way to Matthew Ellis, who struck out two hitters before issuing an RBI walk to Tyler Adkison to make the score 8-3.
The victory would go to Highlander starter Devin McKesson (1-0), who pitched four innings and gave up just a pair of unearned runs on three hits and a pair of walks..
Hensley ended the night with a pair of hits and a run scored for the Aztecs while Denz'l Chapman reached base safely there times on a single, walk and hit by pitch.
Up next for San Diego State is a three-game Mountain West series at San Jose State that gets underway on Thursday, May 19, with a contest scheduled to get start at 6:00 p.m. at Municipal Stadium in San Jose.