Riverside Tops Fresno, 5-1; Avenges Season-opening Loss

RIVERSIDE – Returning the favor by the same score as three weeks ago, the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's baseball team capitalized on an error-plagued fourth inning en route to a 5-1 non-conference home win over the visiting Fresno City College (FCC) Rams Tuesday evening (Feb. 11) at the Evans Sports Complex.

On January 28, FCC notched a 5-1 home win over Riverside in the season opener for both.

Riverside (4-3) posted a run in the bottom of the first inning for a quick 1-0 lead. In the fourth inning, sophomore 3B Nick Bruno (Hemet / Hemet HS) led off with a single to center field and was safe at second on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore DH Paul Martinez (Riverside / Arlington HS . U. Oregon) when the throw from FCC freshman 2B Brett Bausman (Fresno / Bullard HS) sailed into left field for an error.

Up stepped sophomore LF Josh Clark (Los Angeles / Hillcrest Christian HS) who dumped a sacrifice bunt to the left of the mound. FCC freshman relief RHP fielded the ball and threw wildly to first base which enabled Bruno and Martinez to score unearned runs. When the relay was returned to the infield, Clark had overrun third base. Roberts attempted to nail Clark, but his throw sailed into left field and Clark scored. Bruno finished with two singles in three at-bats to pace the Tigers.

In the top of the sixth, the Rams (3-4) got on the board. Sophomore LF Justin Flores (Fresno / Clovis West HS) singled on the first pitch he saw to open the frame. Sophomore DH Anthony Hawkins (Fresno / Fresno HS) doubled down the left-field line to send home Flores. Hawkins had two hits for FCC.

In the seventh, RCC sophomore C Michael Deceglie (Rancho Cucamonga / Los Osos HS) was hit by a pitch to open the frame, was sacrificed to second and scored on a double to left-center field by freshman 1B Kyle Callahan (Oak Hills / Oak Hills HS) to conclude the scoring.

Riverside sophomore LHP Don Sullivan (Upland / Upland HS), who was also known as "Joe" in 2013, went the first 6.0 innings and allowed the one run (earned) on four hits with four walks and had but one strikeout to improve to 1-0. Freshman relief RHP Nick Hynes (San Dimas / Covina HS) tossed the seventh and eighth innings and sophomore relief RHP Tyler Leslie (Helendale / Silverado HS / Victor Valley CC) pitched the ninth.

FCC freshman starting RHP Justin Woodard (Fresno / Central HS), who went only the first 2/3-inning, faced only four batters and allowed the first-inning run (earned) to get saddled with the loss (0-1).

Riverside returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m. when it hosts the Western Nevada College Wildcats in the opener of a three-game series. Fresno City will return to action on Friday, Feb. 14, when it hosts the Chabot College Gladiators in a non-conference doubleheader.

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