Feb. 10, 2002

Box Score

(Riverside, CA) - UC Riverside's Jimmy Anderson delivered the game-winning single over the drawn-in outfield with one out in the ninth allowing the Highlanders to take the rubber game of the series 8-7, in non-conference baseball action at the Riverside Sports Complex on Sunday. Riverside (4-3) wins for the second time against the Dons (2-5) in the ninth inning after launching a three-run homerun with two outs to beat USF 4-1 in the first game of the series.

USF right-handed reliever TJ Franco (0-3) hit Brian Wahlbrink with one out in the ninth, and committed a balk and uncorked a wild pitch allowing Wahlbrink to advance to third, scoring on Anderson's game-winning single to right field. Matt Thiessen (1-0) got the win in relief for the Highlanders.

Scott Powis put UCR (4-3) up 1-0 in the second with a two-out RBI double to left field scoring Andy Clay.

San Francisco scored three runs in the top of the third off Highlanders starter AJ Shappi. Freshman catcher Jimmy Milkovich walked to lead off the inning and sophomore infielder Nick Cirbo followed with a single to left. Junior outfielder Nick Tarabat followed with an RBI single and sophomore outfielder Joe Jacobitz lined a two-run single to right field and the Dons took a 3-1 lead.

UCR pulled to 3-2 on Clay's sacrifice fly scoring Wahlbrink in the third. In the fourth, the Dons came roaring back scoring two runs with two outs in the inning, as senior infielder Luke Gradishar lined a two-run double to left and USF increased the lead to 5-2. UCR rallied in the bottom half as Anderson followed hit a two run double to center with two outs and scored on a Festa single to left and UCR took a 6-5 lead. Anderson finished the day 3-for-5 with a run and three RBI.

USF came back to tie it at six on a two out RBI single by Cirbo in the sixth. UCR recaptured the lead in the eighth as Timothy Faulkner hit a bases-loaded single scoring Adam Seuss, and UCR took a 7-6 lead. But in the ninth, Jacobitz hit an RBI single off the glove of Highlander reliever Matt Thiessen allowing Tarabat to score the tying run.

Jacobitz finished 2-for-5 with three RBI, while Cirbo ended his day 3-for-4 with an RBI. Gradishar went 3-for3 with a double and a pair of runs driven in. Senior catcher Steve Booth also doubled for San Francisco.

USF returns to action when they host the Spartans of San Jose State on Tuesday, Feb. 12. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 PM at Benedetti Diamond.