Valparaiso University junior Chase Dawson (Chesterton, Ind. / Andrean) enjoyed a prosperous performance on Thursday night at UC Riverside, but the Crusader second baseman’s four hits and four RBIs came in a losing effort as the Highlanders notched a 14-5 victory over Valpo. The Crusaders racked up 11 hits, but left 10 on base, while UC Riverside had 16 hits and stranded only six.  

How It Happened

• The Highlanders (6-7) grabbed the lead with two runs in the opening inning as Dean Miller notched a run-scoring single before Colby Schultz came in and scored on a passed ball.
• UC Riverside expanded the lead to three when Anthony Lepre clubbed a double to right in the second, then a run-scoring bouncer by Connor Cannon allowed the Highlanders to add another single tally in the third.
• Valpo starter Hayden Kissee (Cumberland, Ind. / Greenfield Central [Kaskaskia College] departed after three innings in which he allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits. He struck out three and issued no walks. Kissee was eventually hit with the loss, his first decision of the season.
• The fourth inning saw Schultz rip a two-run single, then Cannon did the same and Matt Hardy added a run-scoring knock in a frame that allowed UC Riverside to break it wide open.
• Facing a 9-0 hole, the Valpo bats came to life in the fifth, when Dawson delivered a bases-loaded double to plate a pair and Sam Shaikin (West Hills, Calif. / Chatworth) lifted a sacrifice fly. After a wobbly fourth, reliever Easton Rhodehouse (Gilbert, Ariz. / Highland) rebounded by sending down the side in order in the fifth.
• The Crusaders (4-8) then scratched out another run in the sixth when Dawson singled home Scott Kapers (Schererville, Ind. / Mt. Carmel) to make it a 9-4 game.
• Rhodehouse came out to start the bottom of the sixth, but allowed a hit batter, a base hit and a walk before departing. The Highlanders eventually scored five runs on five hits in the frame, turning the game into a 14-4 rout.
• The only run for the remainder of the contest occurred on a Dawson double to left in the eighth. Jake Larson (Irvine, Calif. / Woodbridge) came out of the bullpen to hurl a scoreless eighth for Valpo.

How It Happened

• Dawson has now had one four-hit game and one five-hit performance this season. His four RBIs on Wednesday marked a career-high.
• Joining Dawson with multi-hit games were Dent and Kapers, who had two hits apiece. Kapers scored three runs in the contest.
• Jared Noonan picked up the win in relief since UC Riverside starter Abbott Haffar threw only 3 1/3 innings. Noonan permitted one run on three hits in two frames to garner his first decision of the year.
• Wednesday marked the 10^th time in the last 11 games that the Crusaders have racked up 11 hits or more.

Up Next

Valpo will begin a three-game weekend series at Loyola Marymount on Friday at 8 p.m. CT.