Four-run Third Highlights Riverside’s 5-1 Home Win over Santa Barbara

RIVERSIDE – Spotting the opposition an early lead, the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's baseball team came from behind to post a 5-1 non-conference win over the visiting Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Vaqueros Wednesday evening at the Evans Sports Complex.

 

Riverside (17-9 overall), tied the game at 1-1 after one inning then parlayed a hit batsman and three hits for four runs (three earned) in the third.

 

Sophomore 3B Ricardo Rodriguez (Moreno Valley / Canyon Springs HS) was struck by a 0-1 pitch from SBCC starting (and losing) freshman RHP Connor Detko (Ventura) to get the Tigers started and went to second base on a wild pitch. Freshman LF David Schuknecht (Palm Desert / Palm Desert HS / U. of Arizona) singled to center field and took second on the throw as Rodriguez stopped at third base. Sophomore 1B Daniel Arellano (Moreno Valley / Canyon Springs HS) singled to right field to drive in Rodriguez for a 2-1 RCC lead.  Sophomore RF Cody Stewart (Temecula / Great Oak HS / UC Riverside) doubled into the right-field corner to chase home Schuknecht and Arellano, and then went to third when the ball was overrun. Stewart scored (unearned) on a sacrifice fly to give Riverside a 5-1 lead.

 

Stewart singled and doubled in four at-bats to pace Riverside.

 

Sophomore RF Zachary Zehner (San Diego) had a booming RBI double to dead center field which drove in freshman 2B Brett Sesma (Northridge), who singled with one out in the first, went to second on a wild pitch and stole third base.

 

Sophomore starting RHP Blake Burrell (Moreno Valley / Canyon Springs HS) had another fine outing. In improving to 3-0, he allowed only the earned run in the first. In seven innings, he allowed five hits (two doubles), walked none and struck out four on only 72 pitches (52 strikes). In 31-1/3 innings, Burrell has allowed only two runs (one earned) for a microscopic earned run average of 0.29.

 

With the loss, Detko's record is 2-6 (with three complete games). SBCC is 12-12 overall.

 

There will be no rest for the weary as SBCC hosts the Glendale College Vaqueros on Thursday, March 28, at 6 p.m. Riverside, however, will be idle until the following Thursday (April 4) when it visits the Cypress College Chargers in an Orange Empire Conference (OEC) game.