Score: UC Davis 7, UC Riverside 1
Winning Pitcher: Tyler Wood (2-0)
Losing Pitcher: Matthew Flores (2-1)
Location: Davis, Calif.
Records: UC Davis 11-7 (3-0), UC Riverside 10-11 (2-4)
 
The short story: UC Davis executed in all facets of the game to complete a sweep of UC Riverside in the opening week of Big West Conference play, defeating the Highlanders 7-1 on Sunday at Dobbins Stadium. The Aggies scored in three different innings, highlighted by a three-run fifth inning, while their pitching staff held the Highlanders to just one run on eight hits.
 
FIRST PITCH

• Tyler Wood earned the win for UC Davis, pitching five innings and allowing one run on six hits while striking out three
• Carter Delaney closed out the game with two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three
• Alex Gouveia led the Aggies' offense, going 1-for-3 with three RBIs, including a two-run single in the fifth inning
• Ethan Bergan was a bright spot for UC Riverside, going 1-for-3 with a double and scoring the Highlanders' lone run
• UC Davis drew eight walks and capitalized on three hit-by-pitches, while the Aggie staff limited UC Riverside to 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position
• The Aggies' pitching staff also combined for nine strikeouts, allowing just five ground balls and 13 fly balls
• The sweep marked the first for head coach Tommy Nicholson and gave him his 10th Big West series win of his career
• Over the three-game series, the Aggies outscored UC Riverside 26-6
• Braydon Wooldridge and Tyler Howard paced the Aggies all weekend, each recording five hits across the three games

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• UC Davis broke the scoreless tie in the fourth inning, scoring two runs thanks to patience at the plate
• Riley Acosta walked and later scored on a passed ball, while Nick Leehey singled and eventually scored on a walk by Ryan Lee
• UC Riverside responded in the fifth inning when Bergan doubled and later scored on a hit-by-pitch by Jayden Lopez, cutting the deficit to 2-1
• The Aggies answered with a three-run fifth inning, highlighted by Gouveia's two-run single up the middle, which scored Wooldridge and Acosta
• Korey Williams began the inning with an RBI groundout, extending the lead to 5-1
• UC Davis added two more runs in the seventh inning
• Evan Gentil drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Gouveia added another RBI on a sacrifice bunt, pushing the score to 7-1
• UC Davis' bullpen, led by Max Hippensteel, Mason Lerma, and Delaney, shut down UC Riverside over the final four innings, allowing just two hits
• The Aggies' pitching staff finished the weekend with a combined 2.00 ERA and 23 strikeouts

UP NEXT: The Aggies, for the second straight week, will not have a midweek contest. Instead, they will focus on their first road Big West series of the year, traveling to face the 14-5 Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors, who just took two out of three games against the No. 15-ranked UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.
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