Riverside–The UC Riverside Softball Team picked up a, 5-0, behind Tayler Misleldt's complete-game four-hit shutout in the Big West opener. In the second game of the day, they were defeated 3-1 by the Titans at Amy S. Harrison Field.
The conference opening win was the first for UCR since the 2015 season.
GAME ONE
Misfeldt retired the Titans in order to start Big West play in the top of the first and that was a sign of things to come as the junior from Tracy, CA dazzled for seven innings to earn her eighth win of the year.
Maddy Richard led off the Highlander half of the first by drawing her league leading 21st walk of 2017.
UCR got on the board, when Hannah Rodriguez laced an RBI single to third that brought in Haley Harris in the bottom of the first. Jenna Curtan then came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded, but UCR failed to score again.
The Highlanders again loaded the bases in the second, before Jenae Lockwood worked the count full after falling behind 0-2 to drive a fly ball to left deep enough to score Stephanie Tickemyer from third to make it 2-0.
The third inning would be the third straight inning that the blue and gold would load the bases. Shylene Helms, who had two hits in the game, was brought in by Curtan's single up the middle to make it a 3-0 UCR lead.
Richard, who entered the game 5-5 with the bases loaded on the season, came to bat with the bases juiced, and reached on an error that brought in the fourth run of the game.
Misfeldt scattered four hits in her seven-inning gem, did not allow more than one hit in any inning while striking out one and walking just one.
The Highlanders' plate discipline and timely base running was key in the victory that saw UCR manage just five singles in plating five runs.
GAME TWO
In the second game of the day, the Highlanders had difficulty getting to Titan starter Cerissa Rivera, who had a no-hitter going until the fifth, when Rodriguez had a bunt single.
Misfeldt got her second start of the day, and logged three scoreless innings before giving way to Anessa Cepeda.
In the top of the fifth, the Titans loaded the bases with one out and scored the game's first two runs of the game. They would tack on another in the third on an RBI single.
UC Riverside would put one on the board in the sixth aided by a pair of Cal State Fullerton fielding errors.
The bottom of the seventh would see Curtan get a one out triple, but ended up stranded on third as Rivera got the final two outs to end the game with a 3-1 victory– her third of the season.
Sunday's series finale is set for 1 pm.
