Davis, Calif. – Bakersfield scored eight first-inning runs and held on for a 9-8 victory in game three of a three-game Big West Conference series at UC Davis, Sunday afternoon, to clinch a series victory over the Aggies two games to one. The Roadrunners rebounded from a Friday afternoon loss, to win two straight and improve to 14-16 overall and 7-2 in Big West action. 

"We're happy to walk away with a series win over an opponent that showed up and played very competitively all weekend," said CSUB Head Coach Jeremy Beard. "Still, there are plenty of areas we need to clean up to play better baseball. I look forward to seeing our group put all three phases of the game together and play to our potential." 

Thirteen Roadrunners went to the plate in the top half of the first, with seven of Bakersfield's starting nine crossing the plate in the inning. Aaron Perez and AJ Miller each doubled in the frame, with Perez driving in a pair and Miller clearing the bases with a three-run shot into the right-centerfield gap. Miller would finish the day with two hits in five at bats, while Perez was 3-for-4 with a walk. 

Centerfield Mark Wolbert led the Aggies with a 4-for-5 effort at the plate, finishing the series 10-for-14 with a pair of home runs. 

Bakersfield starter Adrian Santa Cruz worked 4.2 innings and struck out eight in a no decision. Reliever Gabe Ulloa earned the win, while Ryan Verdugo collected his second save of the season. 

Left-handed opener Andrew LaCour took the loss for UCD, which fell to 2-17 overall and 2-10 in Big West action. 

T1 | Bakersfield scored eight times in the top of the first inning with four different players driving in runs in the frame. Andrew Allanson opened the scoring with a sharp single over second base and Bailey Seeger chopped an RBI ground ball to third base, before Aaron Perez broke the inning open with a two-run, opposite field double down the third base line. After Perez scored on a wild pitch, AJ Miller doubled to right center to clear the bases and cap the scoring in the first.
 
B1 | UC Davis scored in the bottom of the first for the third-straight game when Mark Wolbert reached on an infield single and scored on a dropped third strike with two outs in the inning.
 
B3 | Aggie shortstop Nick Leehey hit his second two-run home run of the series in the third, pulling his team within five at 8-3.
 
B5 | Jonah Hendrickson singled in a run, and two pitches later Leehey scored on a balk to make it 8-5 Roadrunners.

T7 | Bakersfield extended its lead back to four when Seeger singled with one out, advanced to second on Perez' second double of the game and scored on an Aaton Casillas' ground out.
 
B7 | James Williams III drew the Aggies closer with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the seventh. Nate Leehey scored on the play to make it 9-6 CSUB.

B8 | UCD third baseman Kyler Arrenado scored on a throwing error in the eighth as the Aggies inched closer and made the score 9-7. 

B9 | Davis made it a one-run game in the ninth, scoring on a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Omar Plasencia, but could get no closer as Bakersfield reliever Ryan Verdugo was perfect in 0.2 innings to earn his second save of the season. 
   

• Bakersfield scored in the first inning for the third time in three games this series. This time CSUB plated eight runs matching the fourth-most scored in a single inning in program history. The eight-spot came just five days after the Roadrunners tied their historic high of ten runs in a single frame at California Baptist.
 
• CSUB starter Adrian Santa Cruz struck out eight in 4.2 innings pitched, including one stretch where he fanned six of seven Aggies. 

• The Roadrunners won their third-consecutive Big West series to open conference play with a 7-2 record. 

The Roadrunners return home to host Hawai'i in a Big West Conference series at Hardt Field that will begin on Thursday night at 6:05 p.m. due to the Easter holiday. The Rainbow Warriors will make just their second trip ever to Bakersfield in a series that will also see games played Friday night and Saturday afternoon. CSUB took three of four games in Hawai'i last season.
 
Saturday's contest will begin at 1:05 p.m., with gates opening at 11:30 a.m., and features the second of five CSUB Baseball trading card giveaways. Sets will be available to the first 250 fans in attendance.
 
Following the game there will also be an on-field Easter Egg hunt for all children 12 and under.