DAVIS, Calif. -- UC Davis got a great performance from freshman Jake Spillane, but the Aggies were unable to bring home the victory on Saturday, losing to UC Riverside by a score of 4-3.
With this in-conference loss, UC Davis drops to 7-12, 1-1 in the Big West. The victory for UC Riverside brings their overall record to 8-16, 1-1 in conference matchups. Sophomore Abbott Haffar picked up the win, bringing his record to 1-1. Junior Chase Lyford took the loss for the Aggies, which made his record 1-3 on the season.
UC Davis started Spillane on the mound, and he went 7.1 innings, surrendering two runs, all of them earned, on five hits, while walking two and striking out four. The Aggies then turned to the bullpen, bringing in Lyford for the final 1.2 innings of the contest. In that span, Lyford yielded two runs on four hits, walking none and striking out one.
UC Davis pitchers as a group gave up the four UC Riverside runs, all earned, on nine hits, while walking two and striking out five. Aggies pitchers also managed to induce three double play balls, helping to limit UC Riverside to four runs.
The offensive exploits of senior Caleb Van Blake led the way for UC Davis. The Aggies third baseman went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBIs. Junior Logan Denholm compiled a standout effort as well, going 1-for-4 with a double. Junior Cooper Morrison also helped out for UC Davis, going 1-for-4 in the ballgame. UC Riverside's offense was led by senior Dean Miller, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs on the day.
As a group, UC Davis pushed across three runs in the contest, but left chances on the board, stranding seven over the course of the game. Those three runs came on seven hits, three of which went for extra bases, including a home run. The Aggies didn't get any extra help from UC Riverside pitchers either, as they drew only one walk in Saturday's game. UC Davis also did significant damage on the basepaths. The Aggies swiped three bases on the day, with two coming from senior Garret Kelly.
The Aggies and the Highlanders resume action in the series finale tomorrow (Mar. 31) at 1 p.m. at Phil Swimley Field.
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
