May 28, 2011
Box Score
DAVIS, Calif. - Despite two hits from CJ Blom and David Popkins, UC Riverside hit two home runs to take a 3-0 win on Saturday at Dobbins Stadium in Davis.
With the series even at one game apiece, UC Davis drops to 18-35 and 10-13 in the Big West while UC Riverside improves to 28-23 overall and 10-13 in league play.
The Highlanders' first run came in the fifth inning when Trevor Hairgrove's sacrifice fly brought in Bart Steponovich and scored in the next inning after Tony Nix hit a deep home run to left field. Hairgrove would homer to the exact same spot in the seventh inning for the 3-0 advantage.
UC Davis had chances to score through the first three innings, as the Aggies had a runner on third in the first and second inning and two runners on with two outs in the third.
After Blom hit a single in the third, however, UC Riverside pitcher Eddie Orozco retired the next 11 straight Aggie batters until Ryan Allgrove's base hit in the seventh snapped the streak.
In the eighth inning, Popkins singled with one out, then moved to second on Blom's second base hit of the day. Popkins would move to third, but Aggie pinch hitter Scott Lyman struck out to end the inning.
UC Davis starter Anthony Kupbens allowed only four hits and struck out three in 5.2 innings of work, but gave up two runs and was given the loss.
The Highlanders put runners on first and second with two outs in the first, but Kupbens struck out Vince Gonzalez to end the inning. He retired the side in the second and third innings, including striking out two more in the third, and kept the Highlanders hitless in the fourth.
Harry Stanwyck entered for Kupbens in the sixth inning, inheriting runners on first and second with two outs and struck out Steponovich to get out of the inning.
In the Highlanders' half of the eighth inning, Gonzalez turned a single into an extra-base hit after his single was fumbled by Seth Batty in left field, allowing him to reach second. Stanwyck walked David Andriese, then was relieved by Ryan Lucas with runners on first and second and nobody out. Lucas threw Gonzalez out at third, then the Aggies turned a double play to end the inning.
Justin Andrade keyed a second Aggie double play in the ninth with the bases loaded and only one out for UC Riverside. He fielded Nix's ground ball, stepped on third base to get Ryan Goetz out, then threw across to Blom at first to throw Nix out.
Nix was 2-for-5 on the day while Hairgrove was 1-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Highlanders.
UC Davis and UC Riverside close the season on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Dobbins Stadium. The Aggies will honor their five graduating seniors in a pregame ceremony.
