DAVIS, Calif. -- UC Davis came from behind late on Sunday, scoring five runs in the final three frames to knock off UC Riverside 8-6.
The Big West victory pushes UC Davis' overall record to 8-12, including 2-1 in conference play. UC Riverside, on the other hand, falls to 8-17, 1-2 in the Big West. Sophomore Nick Johnson grabbed his first win of 2019 for the Aggies, bringing his record to 1-0. Senior Devin Mckesson took the loss for UC Riverside, which made his record 0-1 on the season.
UC Davis gave the ball to senior Chris Brown to start out the contest. He threw 4.1 innings, surrendering four runs, one earned, on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts. The Aggies then went to the bullpen, bringing in Johnson for the following 2.2 innings. Johnson allowed no runs on two hits, walking none and punching out four, before being relieved by junior Steve Ouellette. Ouellette yielded two runs in 1.2 innings of work, giving up three UC Riverside hits. To finish out the game, UC Davis turned to junior Chase Lyford, who went the final went 0.1 innings, allowing no runs and no hits. Lyford also picked up his second save on the year for the Aggies.
In total, UC Davis pitchers gave up the six UC Riverside runs, three earned, on 10 hits, while walking one and striking out six.
When they were in the batter's box, UC Davis was led by junior Logan Denholm, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Junior Cooper Morrison put together a noteworthy performance at the dish as well, going 2-for-2 with an RBI while finding his way aboard once via walk. Freshman Conner Longrie also chipped in for the Aggies, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the ballgame. Junior Connor Cannon led the attack for the UC Riverside lineup, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs on the day.
As a unit, UC Davis plated their eight runs in the contest off of 14 hits, three of which went for extra bases. The Aggies managed their offensive output without much extra help from UC Riverside pitchers, who handed out only one free pass in Sunday's game. When they did swing the bat, UC Davis was clutch at the plate. The Aggies went 6-for-18 with runners in scoring position, with sophomore Tanner Murray accounting for two of those hits.
Pacific is next up on the schedule for the Aggies. They'll play that game on Tuesday (Apr. 2) at 2:30 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.
