UC Riverside Stops Hitting and Loses, 5-2

Ruben Ayala stopped hitting and so did the rest of the UC Riverside team Friday in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II World Series at Montgomery, Ala., and as a result, the Highlanders lost to Jacksonville State, 5-2.

Tim VanEgmond gave up four hits and struck out 10 as defending champion Jacksonville State (40-12) eliminated the Highlanders (38-25-1) and advanced to today’s championship game. The Gamecocks will play Missouri Southern, which beat Longwood (Va.), 9-6.

Ayala, who had five of UC Riverside’s 15 hits in Thursday’s 12-10 victory over Jacksonville State, was hitless in three at-bats and finished the tournament with a .714 average (15 for 21).