Box Score Riverside--In the third game of the day, the first for the Highlanders in the 2016 Amy S. Harrison Classic, Natalie Sanchez and Chelsey Holley homered in third inning to propel UCR (8-6) to a, 7-5, win over North Dakota (2-8).

In the top of the first, Tayler Misfeldt worked herself out of a one out bases loaded jam, getting a fly out right and a throw from Stephanie Tickemyer that forced the North Dakota runner back to the bag, before she struck the next hitter swinging to get out of the inning.

Maddie Richard stole second after walking and was moved over to third on a Haley Harris sacrifice, then Sanchez drew a walk, before Jenna Curtan bounced into a fielder's choice, scoring Richard and Sanchez out at second. Chelsey Holley came to the plate and doubled to right center, scoring Curtan to give the home team a, 2-0, lead.

To lead off the third, Richard drew a walk and stole her second base of the game. With one out, Sanchez stepped to dish and launched a 2-1 pitch over the center field fence for her second home run of the season. Two batters later, Holley knocked the first pitch she saw over the fence in right center for a solo homerun, her first of the season, which made it 5-0, UCR.

North Dakota would get one across in the top of the fifth on a sac fly to make a four run game for a short time.

In the bottom of the fifth, Sanchez drove in Harris with a double to left for her third RBI of the game. She would also come around to score from second on Curtan single to right field.

The Fighting Hawks put their first two runners on in the top of seventh, and they came in to score on double to right center, followed by a single up the middle that brought in one more to a make it 7-4. Coach Garza then put Kaylynn Pierce in to relieve Misfeldt with one out and bases loaded.

Pierce struck out the first hitter she faced, before allowing a run scoring single. She would strike out the next hitter to earn her first save of the year in the, 7-5, win in the final game of the opening day at the 2016 Amy S. Harrison Classic.

In the first two games of the day, San Diego defeated North Dakota, 11-6, before downing Saint Peter's, 10-2, in the second game.

The UC Riverside Softball teams returns to action tomorrow, with back-to-back games against Saint Peter's at 11:30 am and versus North Dakota 30 minutes following the conclusion the first game. Saint Peter's (0-1) takes on San Diego (6-6) at 9 am in the first game of the day.