Box Score Los Angeles- The UC Riverside Softball Team kicked off its trip to the LMU/Muscle Milk Invitational II with a 3-0 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson Friday afternoon.

At 24-7 overall, the Highlanders are just one victory away from tying the program's Division I-era single-season wins record. The program's record was originally set by the 2012 squad.

Throwing the entire game for the Highlanders was red-shirt junior Chelsea Ponce. Ponce had yet another productive outing, recording 11 strikeouts and giving up just two hits. She now boasts a 17-3 record and 1.21 era. As of March 19, Ponce ranks second in the nation in victories and 28th in era.

After a scoreless four innings, the Highlanders found a spark, pushing their first run across the plate in the top of the fifth. Freshman Jenna Curtan led off the inning for UCR with a single to center field bringing up Karina Romero who laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Curtan to second base. A fly-out by Natalie Sanchez brought Haley Harris to bat with Curtan in scoring position. Harris who leads the Highlanders with a .389 batting average drilled a double down the left field line, bringing in Curtan.

Highlanders' Romero and Sanchez would record their 10th and 17th RBI's of the season, respectively, bringing in the second and third run in the top of the seventh inning. Each recorded a single during the inning with Romero hitting to center field and Sanchez hitting right back to the pitcher.

UC Riverside is back in action Saturday, March 21 for day two of the LMU Invitational, taking on Fairleigh Dickinson at 9 am.