Box Score Riverside- The UC Riverside Softball Team moves to 30-9 on the season and an even 2-2 in the Big West after topping Long Beach State, 3-2 Friday in game one the series.
From the moment the first pitch was thrown a pitching duel ensued, but at the end of the day it was Chelsea Ponce and the Highlanders leaving victorious. Ponce threw all 10 innings for the blue and gold improving her record to 22-5, with four strikeouts and six hits over 34 at bats.
After a scoreless seven innings, a multiple close calls the game moved into extra innings with the 49ers striking first in the top of the ninth with a two-run homer over the right field fence by one of their leading hitters, Julia Lombardi.
The Highlanders answered the call starting off the bottom of the ninth with a single through the left side by Karina Romero. That brought to the plate freshman Rebecca Faulkner, who smashed a home run over center field to tie the game, 2-2. Faulkner leads the Highlanders with six home runs on the season.
It would be a quick offensive stand for Long Beach in the top of the 10th. The Highlanders snatched the first out off a failed sacrifice bunt attempt to move the first base runner to second as Ponce fielded the grounder cleanly to get the out. Out number two came off an on target throw from catcher Chelsey Holley to second baseman Haley Harris to catch Shayna Kimbrough stealing. Snagging the third out was first baseman Rebecca Faulkner who fielded a ground ball for an unassisted play at first.
The Highlanders took that momentum into the bottom of the 10th with Stephanie Tickemeyer leading off with a single through the left side. Next up was Romero who reached on an error by the first baseman, moving Tickemeyer to second base. With runners on first and second, Jenna Curtan laid down a beautiful bunt and reaching on a throwing error by the first baseman and scoring Tickemeyer from second.
The Highlanders are back in action Saturday, April 4 for games two and three of the series against the 49ers beginning at 12 pm PT.
