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California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

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Tyler Jorgensen
7
UC Riverside UCR 3-8, 1-3 Big West
9
Winner CSUB CSUB 6-5, 3-1 Big West
UC Riverside UCR
3-8, 1-3 Big West
7
Final
9
CSUB CSUB
6-5, 3-1 Big West
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
UC Riverside UCR 0 0 0 0 4 3 0 0 0 7 11 0
CSUB CSUB 2 0 1 0 4 1 1 0 X 9 14 1

W: Butler, Davonté (1-0) L: Eric Marrujo (1-2) S: Johnson, Kenny (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Jorgensen, Johnson Lead CSUB to First Big West Series Win

Bakersfield, Calif. – Tyler Jorgensen homered and Kenny Johnson was dominant out of the pen, leading CSU Bakersfield to a 9-7 victory over UC Riverside, Sunday afternoon at Hardt Field. The Roadrunners took three of four from UCR over the weekend, winning their first ever series as members of the Big West Conference.  

Jorgensen had four of the Roadrunner's 14 hits, including his key two-run home run and the 100th base hit of his Bakersfield career, which came on a sixth inning single to center field. He finished the series batting 10-18, with three extra-base hits, seven runs scored and six RBI.

A day after hitting his second career grand slam, right fielder Nick Grossman was 3-for-4 and drove in three more runs, giving him 10 RBI for the series.

The `Runners carried a 3-0 lead into the fifth inning, before the Highlander's battled back with four runs to take the lead. With the score tied 7-7 after six, the senior Johnson entered in relief of classmate Davonte Butler.

Johnson closed out the game with three innings of one hit ball, striking out four, to earn his first save of the season.

Butler would earn the win, while starter Roman Angelo took a no decision following five innings of work, in which he allowed six hits and four earned.

Eric Marrujo took the loss for UCR, pitching one and a third innings and allowing the go ahead run to score on a wildpitch.

Freshman Jo Stevens had two hits in five at bats. He finished the series 4-for-8 with two doubles and two RBI.

Evan Berkey (4-for-9), Eric Charles (4-for-10) and Jashia Morrissey (6-for-17) also had big series at the plate.

The `Runners are back in action Friday, Mar. 26 in the first of a three-game set at Stanford, in Palo Alto, Calif.  

HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME ONE…
* Bakersfield scored in the first inning for the third straight game. One day after belting the second grand slam of his career Nick Grossman struck again, this time lining a bases loaded single to right to give CSUB an early 2-0 lead. Morrissey and Jorgensen also singled in the inning.
* Grossman added another RBI in the third, when he beat out an infield single to short to score Jorgensen, who had reached with a lead-off double.
* UCR took the lead with four runs in the fifth on just three hits. Ely Stewart and Nathan Webb had run-scoring doubles in the frame. Stewart's two-bagger drove in a pair.
* Bakersfield roared back with four runs of their own the bottom half of the inning. Jorgensen started the scoring when he connected for his second home run of the season, a two-run job over the fence in right. Eric Charles added an RBI single with two outs, and freshman Jo Stevens followed with a double to score Charles.
* Travis Bohall singled to center to score two as part of a three-run Highlander rally in the sixth, tying the game at seven.
* Jorgensen singled to center for his fourth hit of the game, and the 100th hit of his career, with two outs in the bottom half of the sixth. He'd eventually score on a wild pitch to give CSUB an 8-7 lead.
* Another wild pitch chased Eric Charles home in the seventh, stretching the `Runners lead to 9-7.
* Kenny Johnson shut down the Highlanders over three innings, striking out four to earn the save.
 
NOTABLE…
* Jorgensen's 4-for-4 effort gave him his fourth multi-hit game in four tries this weekend. It was also his eighth in 11 games this season and the 32 of his career.  
* Jorgensen's sixth inning single to CF was the 100th of his 82 game Roadrunner career.
* Angel Saldivar threw out UCR's Anthony Mata for the first out of the third inning. Bakersfield catchers have now thrown out 48% of would be base stealers.
* Johnson's save was the second of his career. Over his last two outings, he tossed 4.0 IP and fanned five, while allowing just one hit.
* Bakersfield hit .347 for the series, pounding out 51 hits, including eight doubles and three home runs over four games with UCR.
 
QUOTABLE…
Head Coach Jeremy Beard
On a series win over UC Riverside, the team's first Big West Series win...
"I thought there was a lot of energy on both sides. You have to give them a lot of respect for how they swing it and the grit they showed all weekend. I'm so proud of our leadership, the team is into every pitch, all 27 outs, and we're showing a lot of maturity. Our guys are really proud to wear Bakersfield across their chest and we want to represent our community by doing things the right way."

On Tyler Jorgensen's big series…
"That's just Jorgy. He's all about getting on base, taking quality at bats, and right now he's finding a way to put the barrel on the ball just about every at bat. He's doing a heck of a job right now."

First Baseman Tyler Jorgensen
On his stretch of hot hitting…
"I've felt really comfortable at the plate. Guys have been getting on base for me and I always feel confident hitting with runners on. I'm seeing the ball and I've been able to hit a lot of different types of pitches; curve balls, change ups and pitches I used to have trouble with. I'm trying to take advantage when they look to sneak one across the plate."
 
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