Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. -- Austin March's one-out bases-loaded single to center in the bottom of the 11th plated Tanner Bily with the winning run, bringing to an end a wild 9-8 UC Davis victory over UC Riverside on Saturday afternoon at Dobbins Stadium.

The Aggies clinched their fifth series victory of the season, improving to 16-7-1 overall and 2-0 in Big West Conference play, while also extending their winning streak to five games -- their longest since winning six-in-a-row from April 29-May 7, 2011.

Suffering their fourth consecutive loss, the Highlanders fell to 10-17 overall and 0-2 in league play.

March's hit capped off a 4-for-5 day that saw UC Davis spot UC Riverside seven runs over the first three innings before coming all the way back. Freshman Brad Pluschkell began the rally in the 11th by reaching on an error and moving to second while Bily was hit by a pitch.

The Highlanders erased the lead runner on Tino Lipson's sacrifice attempt, but Nick Lynch loaded the bases when he looped a 2-1 pitch in-between three UCR defenders as Bily, who made a big turn at third, was held up. That brought March to the plate to face Highlanders' closer Ryan Lillie (0-2), and the senior wasted no time, lofting a 1-0 pitch over the head of the center fielder, allowing Bily to trot home and send the Aggies home victorious.

It was the second time that March has "walked-off" an opponent, doing so in the bottom of the ninth of a 5-4 win over Eastern Michigan on Feb. 24. He was one of four UC Davis batters with multiple hits on the day, helping the Aggies to 14 total -- five of those going for extra bases.

Sophomore right-hander Zach Stone (2-0) earned the win in relief, facing the minimum over the final two innings while striking out a pair.

After UC Davis struck early in Friday's series opener, it was Riverside's turn to return the favor on Saturday, taking advantage of a couple of errors in the first to score three runs, and plating four more in the third on an error and a three-run home run by Casey Henderson -- his first of two on the day.

The Aggies shook off the rust and got a run on the board in the third when John Williams doubled to the right field corner and moved to third when it was misplayed. Pluschkell, who finished 3-for-5, then made the Highlanders pay, looping a single to left center to make it 7-1.

UC Davis continued to chip away, scoring four times in the fourth on RBI hits by March (double) and Mason Novak (single), a sac fly by Spencer Henderson, and a wild pitch to make it 7-5. A hard-hit infield single off the pitcher by March in the fifth made it a one-run game, and the Aggies completed the comeback and took the lead with two runs in the sixth on a throwing error following a Pluschkell double and an RBI double by Lipson.

Riverside responded with the tying run by the slimmest of margins in the eighth as Casey Henderson lifted a fly ball down the left field line that hit the very top of the wall at the 310 sign and bounced over for his second round-tripper of the day.

Lipson and Lynch finished with two hits apiece to help power the Aggies' offense, which collected double-digit hits for the second straight game and the 11th time this season. Cody Sporrer finished 3-for-5 to lead the Highlanders, which had five players with multiple hits.

UC Davis and UC Riverside return to Dobbins Stadium for game three of the series on Sunday (March 29) at 1 p.m., as the Aggies go for their first Big West series sweep since they took all three from the Highlanders at home on April 19-21, 2013. Senior right-hander Raul Jacobson (2-0, 2.72 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for the Aggies against UCR right-hander Keaton Leach (2-2, 2.87 ERA).

UC Davis 9, UC Riverside 8 (Mar 28, 2015 at Davis, Calif.)
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UC Riverside........ 304 000 010 00 - 8 13 5 (10-17, 0-2 BIG WEST)
UC Davis............ 001 412 000 01 - 9 14 3 (16-7-1, 2-0 BIG WEST)
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Pitchers: UC Riverside - Sprague, Kevin; Kron, Jordan(5); Morton, Jared(7); Rogina, Cody(7); Lillie, Ryan(9) and Ellis, Matthew. UC Davis - Razo, Orlando; Peters, Blake(6); Stone, Zach (10) and Silva, Izaak.
Win- Stone, Zach (2-0) Loss-Lillie, Ryan(0-2) T-3:26 A-217
HR UCR - Henderson, Casey 2 (2).