Softball Gets Back On Winning Track With 6-5 Victory Over San Diego State

Saturday, April 13

Riverside, CA

12:00 pm

UC Riverside

16-24

San Diego State

26-14

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
San Diego State	0	0	1	1	3	0	0	5	9	2
UC Riverside	0	1	1	0	2	2	X	6	7	1

Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta

Softball Gets Back On Winning Track With 6-5 Victory Over San Diego State

4/13/2013 12:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Box Score—UC Riverside 6, San Diego State 5

Riverside—The UC Riverside Softball Team (16-24) snapped a 10-game losing streak Saturday afternoon with a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over visiting San Diego State (26-14) in non-conference action.

The game was a see-saw battle as neither team held on to a lead for more than a couple innings.

UCR got on board first as Alexis Pickett led off the second inning with a bunt single, and moved to second on Marissa Escalante's sac bunt. Brittanie Akey then hit a shot up the middle to score Pickett for the 1-0 Highlanders lead.

The Aztecs tied the game in the top of the third with a solo run. Monica Downey reached base on an error, and advanced to second and third on two groundouts. Tiffany Corder then beat out an infield single to second base, allowing Downey to score for the tying run.

UC Riverside came back the next inning to retake the lead as Nicolette Lujan singled to lead off the frame and eventually scored on a SDSU error. But San Diego State again tied the game in the fourth with another single run making it 2-2.

The Aztecs led off the fifth with a double and a walk to bring up Patrice Jackson, who nailed a shot over the centerfield fence for the 5-2 advantage. Another single and a walk put two more runners on, and ended the day for UCR starting pitcher Ashley Ercolano. Sophie Slagle replaced her in the circle, and got the next three runners out to end the inning.

Ercolano came up big offensively in the bottom of the fifth, though, hitting a two-out two-run homer to put the Highlanders within one, 5-4. In the sixth, Natalie Sanchez mirrored Ercolano, hitting a solo home run to tie the game at 5-5.

Lujan continued UCR's offense drawing a walk, and moved to second after Dionne Anderson grounded out to second. Ariel Shore laced a single to right field, and Lujan beat out the throw at the plate to give UCR the go-ahead run, 6-5.

That would prove to be the game-winning run, as Slagle retired SDSU in order in the seventh to secure the win.

Slagle gave up just one hit in the victory, earning her first win of the season. Relief pitcher Rebecca Arbino was saddled with loss for the Aztecs as she gave up five runs.

UCR returns to Big West Conference action this week hosting Cal State Fullerton for a doubleheader beginning at 1 pm PT on Wednesday, April 17 at Amy S. Harrison Field.