RIVERSIDE – A record 1,240 fans packed Totman Stadium for the home opener and first game of the Crosstown Showdown between California Baptist University and UC Riverside on Friday night.
It shattered the previous record of 820 fans who came out to the Lancers' home opener against CSU Dominguez Hills on Feb. 9, 2018. The Highlanders came away with the 7-4 victory, despite a late push from the Lancers, as both teams move to 1-4 on the year.
Despite trailing 7-2 going into the ninth, there was no quit from the Lancers, who brought the tying run onto the on-deck circle in the bottom of the ninth.
John Glenn provided the big hit of the game for CBU, with a two-run single in his final at-bat.
Glenn continues to tear the cover off the ball, hitting .409 on the year after his two-hit, two-RBI performance Friday. It gives Glenn 199 hits in career, as he is poised to become the 12
th Lancer and fourth in the NCAA era to eclipse 200 hits in his career.
Chad Castillo scored twice, while
Harrison Spohn doubled in the game and
Andrew Jurado singled, as well. True freshmen
David Martin and
Joseph Lomeli also had the first hits of their career on the night.
The Lancers and Highlanders will continue their series at the Riverside Sports Complex on Saturday at 6 p.m. and then wrap back up at Totman Stadium on Sunday at 5 p.m. The two will play a fourth game this season at UC Riverside on Tuesday, April 28
th at 6 p.m.
CBU found ways to get on base, but were one big hit away from turning the game around, as the team left a total of 10 runners on base on the night. Two big innings were the difference for UCR, as it scored all seven runs in just two frames.
An error and three-run homer staked UCR to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Lancers got on the board in the bottom of the second.
Nick Plaia and
Andrew Jurado got things started with a one-out walk and single.
Lomeli then showed a great two-strike approach to crush a single up the middle for his first career hit and RBI.
Three walks and a hit helped the Lancers pull within one, 3-2, in the bottom of the third. Castillo and Glenn started the inning with a leadoff walk and single, but the next two Lancers were retired. CBU was determined not to come up empty handed, as Plaia drew a full-count walk to load the bases and Jurado coaxed a five-pitch walk to score Castillo.
The Highlanders created some separation with a four-run fifth to go up 7-2. The Lancers' bullpen managed to shut down UCR from there, as
Jacob McCarvel and
Jorge Valerio combined to throw 4.1 scoreless innings down the stretch. McCarvel gave up two hits and struck out three over 2.1 innings, while Valerio allowed two walks and struck out three over two innings.
There were several highlight plays on defense Friday. Jurado and Spohn teamed up to catch a Highlander trying to steal second in the third. Spohn saved a run by cutting down a runner coming home in the sixth. Castillo had the best of them all, as he ran down a fading liner for an impressive diving catch in the fourth.
