UC Riverside gets blown out by Cal Baptist 2-11 in crosstown showdown Davis

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KIANOOSH NOOSHI Assistant Sports Editor

UC Riverside came up short in Tuesday’s Crosstown Showdown against California Baptist, dropping the game 11-2 at the Riverside Sports Complex. Despite the loss, there were still some notable performances from the Highlanders.

Jacob Shanks continued his impressive form, extending his hit streak to 12 games after going 2 for 3 on the night with a run scored. He also hit his sixth double of the season into left center on the first pitch of the fifth inning. Meanwhile, Dominic Martinez continued his hot streak, recording a hit in nine of his last 10 games. On the mound, Alexander Rivas delivered another strong midweek performance, striking out seven batters in 5.1 innings of work. The sophomore left-hander has been a key contributor for the Highlanders this season, posting a 3-2 record with a 4.91 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 36.2 innings pitched.

Despite the loss, UC Riverside had several opportunities to score throughout the game. The Highlanders put a runner on third in each of the first four innings, but were unable to capitalize on these scoring chances. Jayden Lopez worked a full count into a leadoff walk, stole second and then attempted to score on a single from Jacob Badawi. Unfortunately, he was out on a play at the plate. Keith Shelton and Troy Anderson both saw action in the eighth inning, with Shelton getting an opportunity to snag his first career RBI. However, he went down swinging, while Anderson struck out in his first at-bat of the season.

UC Riverside will now look to bounce back this weekend when they face off against CSU Bakersfield. The Highlanders will be hoping to build some momentum and put in a strong performance to end their losing streak. Despite the loss to California Baptist, there were still some positives to take from the game. Shanks and Martinez continued to impress with their performances at the plate, while Rivas delivered another solid outing on the mound. However, the Highlanders will need to improve their situational hitting if they are to turn their fortunes around.

The team will also be looking for more contributions from their bench players as the season progresses. With Shelton and Anderson getting some playing time in the Crosstown Showdown, the Highlanders will be hoping that they can make an impact in the coming weeks.

UC Riverside will need to put this loss behind them and focus on the upcoming series against CSU Bakersfield. With a tough schedule ahead of them, the Highlanders will need to dig deep and find a way to come out on top in their remaining games. There are only nine games left in the Highlanders’ season and there is clear urgency to win games down the stretch to improve in the Big West standing with their conference record standing at just 4-18.

Game one of the series against CSU Bakersfield is set for 6:05 p.m. on Friday, May 12, and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. The Highlanders will be hoping to get off to a strong start and set the tone for the rest of the series.