UCR
no match for Dirtbag pitching, offense
By Michael Bower
On-line Forty-Niner
 The
third-ranked Dirtbags thanked the 18th ranked
UC Riverside Highlanders for sweeping Cal
State Fullerton with a dose of Abe Alvarez
on Friday and Jered Weaver on Saturday.
The Dirtbags took both games behind solid
pitching performances and now enjoy a two-game
lead over Fullerton in the Big West with
just three games to play.
The Highlanders (37-14, 11-6) lead the Big
West conference in hitting, but it was the
Dirtbags (34-15, 14-3) who provided the
offensive firepower Friday night.
Freshman Troy Tulowitzki belted a grand
slam and had five RBIs to lead a 12-hit
attack by The Beach as the Dirtbags defeated
the Highlanders at Blair Field, 9-4.
The win snapped the five-game win streak
of the Highlanders who were coming off a
sweep of then top-ranked Cal State Fullerton.
After being retired on four pitches in the
first inning the Dirtbags scored three runs
in the second inning, and then Tulowitzki’s
grand slam in the third inning provided
a quick, 7-0 lead for Alvarez on the mound.
“I wasn’t thinking about a home run or anything,”
Tulowitzki said. “I was just trying to manufacture
a run.”
Seven runs was more than enough for Alvarez,
who battled his way through seven and two-thirds
innings giving up four runs and scattering
nine hits. Alvarez improved his perfect
record to 10-0 on the year.
“I thought Abe battled his butt off against
a really good offensive team,” head coach
Mike Weathers said.
Neil Jamison relieved Alvarez and pitched
the final one and one-third innings. Jamison
struck out one and gave up just one hit.
The Dirtbags jumped on top early with a
three-run second inning. Mike Hofius had
a RBI triple in the inning as Tulowitzki
added a RBI single. Chuck Sindlinger provided
a sacrifice fly for the third run of the
inning.
“We kind of nailed it with a grand slam
but the first three runs were important,”
Weathers said.
The Highlanders came into the game with
a league-leading team batting average of
.344. The team managed to scrape out 10
hits but couldn’t put any runs on the scoreboard
until the sixth inning.
Highlander Brian Wahlbrink, who leads the
Big West in hits, struck out four times
on the night. Wahlbrink finished the game
1-for-5 with a double.
In the sixth inning the Highlanders put
three runs on the scoreboard after Randy
Blood and Matt Cunningham hit RBI triples.
Jason Collete added a RBI double in the
inning to cut The Beach’s lead to 7-3.
The Dirtbags answered in the bottom half
of the inning though as Todd Jennings, who
extended his hit streak to 18 games, singled
home Brad Davis.
“We answered back and I thought that was
really huge,” Weathers said.
Highlander starting pitcher Jaymie Torres
gave up the big blow to Tulowitzki, but
settled down to give up just two runs after
the third inning. Torres hurled seven and
two-thirds innings, which saved some arms
in the bullpen.
“I wanted to save our bullpen if worse came
to worse,” said Torres whose earned run
average skyrocketed from 2.93 to 3.53.
Everyone in the Dirtbag lineup except one
hitter contributed a hit on the night. Tulowitzki
finished the game 2-for-4 while Davis was
also 2-for-4 with a home run. Hofius and
Adam Heether contributed two hits apiece.
“They always say hitting is contagious and
I am a true believer of that,” Tulowitzki
said.
On Saturday, Weaver tied his career-high
in strikeouts with 13 and the Dirtbags banged
out 14 hits as the team defeated the Highlanders,
6-2.
The game started out shaky for Weaver as
Wahlbrink smashed a hanging-curve ball over
the left-field fence to leadoff the game,
but that was the only mistake Weaver would
make.
Weaver went on to retire the next 18 out
of 19 hitters in the second through seventh
innings. Weaver didn’t allow a hit after
the second inning until the eighth.
“I think it’s remarkable,” Weathers said.
“And to have him dominate them it shows
how good Weaver’s performance was.”
The Highlanders’ top six hitters went a
combined 3-for-24 in the game as Weaver
picked up his 11th win on the year.
Every hitter in the Dirtbags’ lineup had
a hit including Jennings who extended his
hit streak to 19 games with a single in
the sixth inning. John Bowker also continued
his hit streak to 15 games.
“Individually some guys are getting confidence,”
Weathers said. “ I think six weeks ago we
talked about quality at bats and they started
getting hits and confidence.”
The Dirtbags will close out Big West play
at Fullerton in a huge three-game series
beginning on Friday.
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