Eric Johnson drove in two runs in the third inning, turning a base hit and an error into a triple, but UC Riverside used a five-run first inning to take a lead it would never relinquish in an 11-4 win on Senior Day at Dobbins Stadium in Davis.

UCD ends the season with an overall record of 18-36 and a 10-14 Big West record while UC Riverside finishes at 29-23 overall and 11-13 in league action.

The Highlanders jumped to a quick 7-0 lead, scoring five runs off of senior lefty Scott Chew in the first before a two-run home run by Justin Shults added to UC Riverside’s lead in the second.

Johnson’s big hit came in the third inning. After David Popkins and CJ Blom were hit by pitches in back-to-back at bats, both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Highlander starter Dustin Emmons. The Aggie first baseman stepped up and hit a 2-1 pitch up the middle, then moved to second when Riverside center fielder Tony Nix fumbled the base hit to be credited with the error. Popkins and Blom scored and Johnson ended up at third safely.

The Aggies cut Riverside’s lead to four with another run in the fourth. Daniel Cepin led off the inning with a double to left center field, moved to third on a ground ball from Ryan Allgrove, then scored off a sacrifice fly by Justin Andrade.

Riverside took an 10-4 lead, though, with a run in the fifth and two additional runs in the sixth. Ryan Goetz hit a lead-off double in the sixth, moved to third on a passed ball, then scored on an RBI base hit by Vince Gonzalez. Shults scored his second run of the day later in the inning.

Alex Dreyfuss scored UCD’s final run in the sixth inning. A high foul ball into right field by Ryan Allgrove was caught, allowing Dreyfuss to tag up and score from third. He led off the inning with a double, then advanced to third after Cepin’s fly ball to center field.

Phil Holinsworth scored from second base in the seventh inning for the 11-4 final.

Chew was credited with the loss, while Nathan Slater pitched three innings of relief, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out four. Joe Biagini allowed three runs on four hits in one inning while lefty Dayne Quist entered in the sixth and finished the game. He gave up only one run on four hits and struck out five in four innings of work.

UCD’s nine hits were split up between nine different Aggie batters, while Johnson finished with two RBI.

Holinsworth was 5-for-5 with two runs and an RBI and Goetz was 3-for-6 with three runs for UC Riverside while Gonzalez went 2-for-4. Shults’ home run was his only hit of the day.

UC Davis finishes the 2011 season tied for sixth in the Big West Conference.

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Scott Heylman makes a play for UC Davis during a game earlier this season. The Aggies’ 2011 baseball season ended Sunday with a loss to UC Riverside. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise file photo

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