The defending Big West champions have gotten off to a terrible 6-12 start
this season, including 2-9 on the road. The Highlanders split four games with
Washington, lost all four games at Nebraska and lost 2 of 3 games at Nevada in
their three weekend series before splitting two midweek games at Texas Tech this
week. The way things have gone for Riverside this season were summed up rather
well on Monday night at Texas Tech, where they got solid pitching but in the 9th
inning allowed the winning run to advance to 3rd on a passed ball and score on a
wild pitch.
LINEUP
Riverside returned most of the players who were responsible for the
Highlanders having one of the better offenses in the Big West last year.
However, the Highlanders have gotten off to a poor start at the plate this
season, hitting only .247 as a team and averaging only 3.2 RPG against weekend
pitching. Riverside has scored five runs or less in 13 of 18 games, going 1-12
in those games.
Riverside’s philosophy at the plate is to wait pitchers out and see as many
pitches as they can. After averaging well over 4 BB’s per game last year,
Riverside is averaging just over 3 BB’s per game this season. Riverside is
having trouble with hitters making contact, averaging almost 8 K’s per game.
Normally, that type of “all or nothing” approach would lend itself to hitting
for extra base hits but Riverside has struggled in that area, averaging a little
over one 2B per game with only 9 HR’s on the season. Riverside usually doesn’t
play much little ball (12 SAC’s) but they are running more this season (21 SB’s,
including five in the second game at Texas Tech) to try to get some offense
going with good speed at the top of the lineup.
Riverside usually doesn’t have strong defense compared to some of the other
higher level Big West teams because they usually plug guys into spots to try to
get more offense into the lineup and this year is no exception. The Highlanders
have made 30 E’s in 18 games, with the left side of the infield responsible for
16 of those. Riverside is 2-9 when making 2+ E’s in a game.
Infield
FR Brett Hambright (RH - .235-2-6-1) has taken over as the starter at catcher
for last year’s backup, Jordan Opdyke (RH - .200-0-4-0). Opdyke has struggled
defensively (10-10 SB’s) and Hambright has been a little better (17-22 SB’s) but
both have struggled with blocking pitches, allowing 21 WP’s/PB’s. The C usually
bats 7th.
The 1B and DH positions are shared by Mark Samuelson (LH - .184-2-3-2) and
Ryan Goetz (LH - .267-1-6-1). Samuelson got off to a terrible start this season,
going hitless in his first 29 AB’s. He has heated since then, going 9-20 with 2
HR’s, although he has struggled with making contact (15 K’s in 49 AB’s).
Samuelson had a strong FR season last year with 7 HR’s and 50 RBI’s, including a
game tying 9th inning RBI double in the Friday night win in the pitching duel
between Wes Roemer and James Simmons and an HR off of Michael Morrison in the
1st inning of the Sunday game. Samuelson usually hits 6th. Goetz was a part-time
player last year (.292 avg in 89 AB’s) as a FR, getting more playing time later
in the season, including an RBI double in the Friday night game against
Fullerton, and has been a regular this season, usually hitting 4th or 5th.
2B Drew Garcia (Both - .387-1-16-1) has been the best player for Riverside
both offensively and defensively and will be batting 3rd. Garcia is not patient
at the plate as he has yet to draw a walk so anything he sees near the plate he
has been hitting it. He is making up for lost time after taking a medical
redshirt last season and hit .275 as a part-time player in 2006. SS Bryan Horst
(RH - .300-0-6-0) was the backup middle infielder last year and has struggled
defensively, making 7 E’s. He usually bats 9th. Ben Price (Both - .191-1-5-1)
was the starting 2B last year (.272-1-32-2) but was moved over to 3B with Garcia
returning and has struggled defensively, making 6 E’s. Price is very patient at
the plate, walking 46 times in 147 AB’s last year, but has struggled making
contact (17 K’s in 47 AB’s) and will usually bat 8th. The backup infielder is FR
Trevor Hairgrove (RH - .200-0-2-0).
Outfield
Riverside returns all three starting OF’s from last year with Aaron Wible (RH
- .240-0-7-2) in LF, Carl Uhl (Both - .220-1-7-8) in CF and Joey Gonzales (LH -
.250-0-6-3) in RF. Wible usually bats cleanup and has gotten off to a slow
start. He was one of the leading power hitters on the team last year
(.313-10-51-2) and had the game winning RBI in the Friday game with Fullerton
and an HR off of Jeff Kaplan in the Saturday game. Uhl is the leadoff hitter,
the fastest player on the team and was the team leader in SB’s last year with
15. Uhl hit .305 last season and will work the count (36 BB’s last year, 12 this
year). Gonzales hits second and was the Big West FR of the Year last year,
hitting .352 with 9 SB’s, including 2 H’s and a key SB in the Friday night game
with Fullerton. Gonzales has also gotten off to a slow start and having trouble
making contact is a big reason why (17 K’s in 64 AB’s). The 4th OF for Riverside
is FR Tony Nix (RH - .250-1-2-0).
PITCHING
Riverside had one of the best pitching staffs in the Big West conference last
year, which was a key reason why the Highlanders won the conference title. But,
Riverside didn’t return any of their SP’s and 1st team Big West closer Joe Kelly
has been injured all season, making only his second appearance on Tuesday at
Texas Tech. The Highlanders also lost their pitching coach before the season
when Andrew Checketts went to Oregon. Riverside has been getting decent work
from the weekend SP’s but most of the time it hasn’t been enough to overcome the
team’s slow start at the plate and poor defense.
Starters
Friday - Stephen Penney (RHP – 0-2, 5.01 ERA, 4 starts, 23 IP, 24 H’s, 6
BB’s, 20 K’s) was one of the main middle relievers for Riverside last season
(5-2, 5.40 ERA, 29 apps, 42 IP, 37 H’s, 17 BB’s, 38 K’s) and is one of the few
experienced pitchers. Penney has been solid in 3 of his 4 starts, allowing 2 R’s
(5 1/3 IP) against Washington, 3 R’s (7 2/3 IP) against Nebraska and 3 R’s (5
IP) against Harvard with his only bad start at Nevada, allowing 7 R’s (5 ER) in
5 1/3 IP.
Saturday - Matt Larkins (RHP – 3-1, 3.00 ERA, 4 apps, 3 starts, 21 IP, 19
H’s, 8 BB’s, 16 K’s) is one of the many FR that Riverside brought in this year
and he has pitched well. Larkins allowed 3 R’s (6 IP) against Washington and 2
R’s (7 IP) at Nevada and wasn’t helped by his defense at Nebraska (5 IP, 6 R’s,
2 ER) in his one poor start. He threw three scoreless innings in relief last
Friday against Harvard.
Sunday – Arizona transfer and midweek SP Paul Bargas (LHP - 0-2, 4.24 ERA, 5
apps, 4 starts, 23 IP, 26 H’s, 7 BB’s, 16 K’s) will likely be moved into the
weekend rotation after throwing 7 innings at Texas Tech on Monday (4 R’s, 3
ER’s). Bargas pitched well against Washington (6 IP, 3 R) and San Diego State (5
IP, 1 R) but poorly against LMU (4 1/3 IP, 5 R). Paul Applebee (LHP - 1-3, 5.64
ERA, 4 apps, 3 starts, 22 IP, 34 H’s, 4 BB’s, 11 K’s) pitched poorly in his
first start against Washington (2 2/3 IP, 8 R’s, 4 ER) but has pitched better
against Nebraska (6 1/3 IP, 4 R’s) and Nevada (8 IP, 3 R’s). Applebee pitched 5
1/3 innings of relief at Texas Tech on Tuesday after Kelly threw 20 pitches in a
designated start.
Relievers
The bullpen has been unsettled due to Riverside having to use so many
newcomers and Kelly not being available due to an arm injury, although Kelly
should be available this weekend. JC transfer Ryan Waite (RHP – 0-1, 4.76 ERA, 1
SV, 9 apps, 11.1 IP, 13 H’s, 7 BB’s, 10 K’s) has been filling in at closer. The
middle relievers being used most often have been JC transfer Rob Platt (RHP –
1-1, 5.06 ERA, 9 apps, 10.2 IP, 16 H’s, 7 BB’s, 14 K’s) and DJ Smith (RHP – 1-0,
3.29 ERA, 1 SV, 6 apps, 13.2 IP, 14 H’s, 4 BB’s, 16 K’s), who made 13 apps out
of the bullpen last year. Smith finished off Tuesday’s game at Texas Tech for
the save. The only other LHP’s on the staff are Bargas and Applebee.
OUTLOOK
Many of the variables this weekend favor Fullerton, despite the Titans
previous troubles with Riverside. Although Fullerton has struggled in this
series, the Titans have won all three Big West series with Riverside at Goodwin
Field, winning 2 of 3 in each series. Despite having many LH hitters (including
the switch-hitters who will hit LH vs. RHP), Riverside has struggled vs. RHP,
going 1-8. Riverside has also struggled on the road this season, going 2-9 and
Fullerton has played very well at home, going 7-1 including sweeps of Southern Miss and UNLV. Riverside’s pitching will likely keep them in each game this
weekend but with their lack of offensive production and the way that Fullerton
has been scoring at home (averaging over 8 RPG), if Fullerton’s pitching
continues to be solid this weekend as roles have started to be solidified on the
pitching staff, the Titans should win two out of three games.