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(February
25, 2008) - UC Riverside dropped the final game of their season-opening
four game series with the University of Washington (2-2) 5-2
at the Riverside Sports Complex Monday afternoon. Junior Drew
Garcia finished with three hits and sophomore starting pitcher
Paul Bargas struck out six in six innings for the Highlanders
(2-2).
Both starting pitchers pitched well early, keeping the game
scoreless through three until Washington struck for the first
run in their half of the fourth. Ty Rasmussen led off the
inning with homer to left center and the Huskies went up 1-0.
UW would then add two more in fifth off of Bargas, as Kyle
Conley jumped on a Bargas pitch, sending a shot over the centerfield
wall to give the Huskies a 3-0 lead.
Washington starter Jorden Merry kept the Highlander lineup
off balance, not allowing a hit the first time through the
order. Senior Aaron Wible ended the ho-hit bid with a single
up the middle to start the Highlander fifth. Garcia followed
Wible's at-bat with a base-hit of his own to put runners on
first and second to start the inning. Sophomore Ryan Goetz
then bunted both runners to over in scoring position, but
Merry hung tough, striking out the next two batters to end
the Riverside threat.
After UW added another run in their half of the seventh on
a sacrifice fly, UCR brought two runs across on sophomore
Bryan Horst's two-run single through the left side to cut
the Washington lead to 4-2 after seven innings.
The Highlanders were unable to rally back as the Huskie bullpen
limited UCR to only one hit in the final two innings to pick
the victory and leave Southern California with a 2-2 series
split with the defending Big West champions.
Bargas (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing two earned runs
and walking only one in his first career start for the Highlanders.
Merry (1-0) earned the win after striking out seven in his
six-inning effort and Brain Pearl picked up his first save
of the season after pitching a perfect ninth.
UCR travels to play #29 Pepperdine in Malibu at 2:00 p.m.
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