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Arthur Smith

Baseball Written by James Tsitakis-Cecil

CSUB Looks to Build on Successful Start to May

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – With just two Big West series remaining in the 2023 season, the Cal State Bakersfield baseball team looks to end the year on a strong note with both series at home. This week's games against UC Riverside will be an excellent and hopeful opportunity for the Roadrunners, as they have historically performed well against the Highlanders since joining The Big West just a few years ago.

This Weekend's Schedule
  • vs UC Riverside
    • Friday, May 12, 6:05 p.m.
    • Saturday, May 13, 6:05 p.m.
    • Sunday, May 14, 1:05 p.m.
`Runner Notes
  • CSUB pulled off an astounding feat, winning its first series in program history against Long Beach State with two defining victories led by complete play in all three phases of the game.
  • With the `Runners falling 8-2 in game one on the road, AJ Miller and James Bell contributed CSUB's lone RBIs and the bullpen relievers of Ryan Figueroa and Gabe Ulloa helped limit the damage during the loss.
  • The `Runners snapped the eight-game skid after Matt Comnos pitched a solid five-inning outing in game two to hold the Dirtbags to just two hits and one unearned run. The Dirtbags fought back for extra innings, but Bell hit the go-ahead RBI in the tenth inning, winning 7-5.
  • Bell continued his dominance in the series with three RBIs in the 6-3 series-clinching win. The `Runners pulled out a six-run explosive fifth inning to lead the Dirtbags before Ulloa and Devonte Butler closed out the game in expert fashion.
Scouting the Highlanders
  • UC Riverside (10-32, 4-17 BW) is led by third-year head coach Justin Johnson.
  • Sitting at the bottom of the Big West standings in both conference and overall record, the Highlanders are experiencing turbulent times as of late. Despite this, the `Runners cannot rest on their laurels, as UC Riverside has recently won a tough series against Hawai'i.
  • With just three batters hitting above a .280 clip, the `Runner pitchers will look to take advantage and keep the score low for the offense to respond against.
  • The Highlanders do not have a routine rotation, often switching between six different starting pitchers from week-to-week, giving CSUB yet another opportunity to perform well against UCR's 7.24 team ERA.
  • Since becoming official members of the Big West, the `Runners have posted a 6-1 record against the Highlanders, including last season's dominant series sweep. Riverside has not posted a win at Hardt Field since Mar. 20, 2021.
How to Follow the `Runners
Individual game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased on GoRunners.com/Tickets or by calling 661.654.BLUE or 661.654.GOLD.
 
~GoRunners.com~
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Players Mentioned

James Bell

#19 James Bell

C/OF
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Matt Comnos

#29 Matt Comnos

LHP
6' 1"
Senior
L/L
AJ Miller

#10 AJ Miller

OF/1B
6' 2"
Senior
L/L
Gabe Ulloa

#16 Gabe Ulloa

RHP
5' 11"
Junior
R/R
Ryan Figueroa

#12 Ryan Figueroa

RHP
6' 3"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

James Bell

#19 James Bell

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
C/OF
Matt Comnos

#29 Matt Comnos

6' 1"
Senior
L/L
LHP
AJ Miller

#10 AJ Miller

6' 2"
Senior
L/L
OF/1B
Gabe Ulloa

#16 Gabe Ulloa

5' 11"
Junior
R/R
RHP
Ryan Figueroa

#12 Ryan Figueroa

6' 3"
Junior
R/R
RHP
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