Score: UC Davis 10, UC Riverside 2
Winning Pitcher: Noel Valdez (2-1)
Losing Pitcher: Kurt Marton (1-2)
Location:Â Davis, Calif.
Records: UC Davis 10-7 (2-0), UC Riverside 10-10 (2-3)
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The short story: Tyler Howard racked up four hits and four RBI to lead UC Davis to a dominant 10-2 victory over UC Riverside on Saturday at Dobbins Stadium. The win secured the series victory and improved the Aggies to 2-0 in Big West Conference play.
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FIRST PITCH
- Howard led the Aggies' offense, going 4-for-6 with four RBI, including a two-run single in the second inning
- Howard recorded his first four-hit game of the season, marking the second time this year an Aggie has accomplished the feat
- Noel Valdez earned the win on the mound, tossing six innings of one-run ball, allowing seven hits and three walks while striking out three
- Valdez spearheaded the Aggies' efforts on the mound as the staff allowed only two runs
- Braydon Wooldridge continued his strong season, going 3-for-5 with a double, a walk, and an RBI
- Wooldridge and Howard, at the top of the order, combined for seven of the Aggies' 13 hits
- Alex Gouveia added two hits, including a double, and drove in a run for the Aggies
- Every UC Davis starter reached base safely, and the team went 6-for-14 with runners in scoring position
- For the second straight day, the Aggies' pitching staff held UC Riverside to just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and struck out four batters
- UC Davis out-hit UC Riverside 13-9 and drew five walks, forcing the Highlanders to use six different pitchers
- The Highlanders were paced by Landon Nunes, who went 2-for-3 with a double
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HOW IT HAPPENED
- Trailing 1-0 after the top of the second, the Aggies responded with a five-run surge in the bottom of the inning
- Howard delivered a two-run single, and Wooldridge added an RBI single to highlight the frame
- UC Davis also scored runs after Nick Leehey walked with the bases loaded and Jaxon Murphy was hit by a pitch
- The Aggies extended their lead in the fourth inning when Riley Acosta drove in a run with an RBI single, making it 6-1
- UC Davis added another run in the fifth inning on Howard's second RBI single of the game, pushing the lead to 7-1
- UC Riverside scored its second run in the eighth inning on an RBI single by David Whittle, cutting the deficit to 8-2
- The Aggies responded in the bottom of the eighth with two more runs, highlighted by Joey Wright's RBI single, to extend the lead to 10-2
- UC Davis' bullpen, led by Matt Barnes and Mason Lerma, shut down the Highlanders over the final three innings, allowing just one run on two hits
UP NEXT: UC Davis will have a chance to sweep the Highlanders in the series finale, which is slated for 1 p.m. PT on Sunday.
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