RIVERSIDE, Calif. (Interstat) — A dominant pitching start by UC Davis ace Keenan Anzai was undone by a defensive collapse in the seventh inning as UC Riverside rallied for a 6-3 victory in a Big West Conference baseball game Saturday afternoon at Riverside Sports Complex.

The Highlanders (4-11, 1-1 Big West) sent 10 batters to the plate in the decisive seventh, scoring five runs on four hits, two walks, and two critical UC Davis errors to erase a 3-1 deficit. The Aggies (6-8, 1-1) committed three errors in the frame, all on throws from third base, leading to four unearned runs.

For six innings, the game belonged to Anzai. The UC Davis starter was brilliant, holding the Highlanders to one unearned run on just two hits while striking out seven. He exited with a 3-2 lead after the sixth, having thrown 6.0 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball following a first-inning run.

The Aggies had built their lead early, capitalizing on Highlander mistakes. They scored twice in the second inning without a hit, as Jaxon Murphy came home on a throwing error by Riverside shortstop Jaxon Byrd. Ryan Lee, who reached on that error, later scored on an RBI single by Elijah McNeal. UC Davis added an insurance run in the seventh on a sacrifice bunt by Evan Gentil that scored Joey Wright, making it 3-2.

That set the stage for the dramatic bottom of the seventh. Reliever Taylor Werth, who replaced Anzai, was immediately tagged for a double by pinch-hitter Miles Scott. The next batter, Robert Pitts, laid down a bunt single, and Scott scored when the throw to first sailed wide, tying the game 3-3. Pitts advanced to second on the error.

Tyler Gordon followed with another bunt single, and another errant throw from third allowed Pitts to score the go-ahead run. After a walk, Manoah Chapman delivered an RBI single to make it 5-3. David Gibbs capped the outburst with a two-out RBI single to center, scoring the inning’s final run.

The Highlanders’ bullpen secured the win. Starter Matthew O’Brien went 6.1 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits. Matt Hudson was pivotal in relief, entering with two on and one out in the seventh and inducing an inning-ending strikeout. He then pitched 2.2 perfect innings, allowing just one hit overall, to earn the victory.

UC Davis designated hitter Tyler Howard led all hitters, going 3 for 4 with a run scored. Gibbs paced the Highlanders’ eight-hit attack, going 2 for 3 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored.

The loss spoiled Anzai’s standout effort and halted UC Davis’s two-game winning streak. The victory gave UC Riverside its first conference win and snapped a four-game skid.

The teams conclude the three-game series Sunday afternoon. The Aggies will look to win the series before returning home, while the Highlanders aim for a series victory before a midweek trip to UNLV.

According to pregame projections, the result was an upset. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 4-3 UC Davis win, and its ELO system gave the Aggies a 68.6% probability of victory.