Riverside, CA–The UC Riverside Softball Team knocked off Pacific, 8-7, on a walk-off hit, and rolled past UMKC, 12-2, on day one of the UC Riverside Classic.
GAME ONE UCR 8, PACIFIC 7
The Highlanders got on the board first with RBI singles from Jenna Curtan, Chelsey Holley, and Haley Harris in the bottom of the second to go ahead 3-0.
In the top of the third, the Tigers took advantage of three UCR errors in putting up two runs on just one hit off starter Haley Marschall.
UCR responded in the home half of the inning, when Curtan singled home Sarah Gailey. The Highlanders tacked on a run in the fourth on Hannah Rodriguez's RBI double that scored Maddy Richard to stake Marschall to a 5-2 lead.
The Tigers then erupted for five runs in the top of the sixth to take a 7-5 lead, and chase Marschall in the process. Tayler Misfeldt came on in relief and was responsible for one of the runs in the Pacific sixth.
Sarah Parten walked to begin the bottom of the sixth, and was pinch ran for by Danielle Ortega. Rodriguez then doubled to right field to bring up Garcia with two on and nobody out.
Garcia laced the second pitch of the at-bat to right field scoring Ortega and Rodriguez to tie the game at seven all. Garcia would steal third, but be stranded as the next three UCR hitters failed to get the ball out the infield, and were retired in order.
Misfeldt took the ball in the top of seventh, and needed just 11 pitches to strike out the side.
Richard drew a walk to start the bottom of the seventh. Harris then reached on an error, setting the stage for the junior from Riverside. Lockwood stepped in and drove a 2-1 offering over the center fielder's head allowing Richard to score easily from second to win the game.
Curtain and Garcia finished with three RBIs apiece, while Rodriguez logged three hits in the victory. Misfeldt moved to 5-1 on the year.
GAME TWO UCR 12, UMKC 2
In the second game of the day, the Highlanders took control with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the first inning en route to a, 12-2, five inning victory over UMKC.
UCR followed up the five-run first with four in the second, before allowing a two-run homer to the Roos for their only runs of the game.
The home half of the third saw UC Riverside continue to roll as they put up three more runs,and broke the game wide open, 12-2.
UCR starter Misfeldt kept UMKC off balance for most of the game aside from the homer in the third. She would allow three hits in her four innings of work, before Rebecca Faulkner entered in the fifth, and retired the Roos in order, striking out one.
The Highlanders matched their season-high with 12 hits in a game where four different players scored two or more runs and had two hits apiece. It was also the second game of the year that not a single UCR player went down on strikes (vs. Maryland-3/11/17).
Curtan drove in three runs, scored twice, and went 2-2 at the plate. Lockwood also went 2-2. She scored three times, and drove in two runs.
UCR returns to action Saturday at 2pm against Dartmouth at Amy S. Harrison Field.
