Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Santa Barbara, CA – The UC Riverside Softball Team erupted for 12 runs in game two of the double header to earn a split against UC Santa Barbara Saturday.


GAME ONE

Game one was started by two of the more experienced pitchers on each roster with Veronika Gulvin going for UCSB and Tayler Misfeldt for UCR.

The scoring began in the bottom of the second inning when Designated Player Emily Brucelas lined a ball into the left field corner for a leadoff double. Kayla Krantz would reach base next with a fielder's choice. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, Melanie Menor was able to drive a ball to left for a two-run single.

The game entered the fifth inning with the score still, 2-0, when Sierra Altmeyer led off the inning with a blast to right field that cleared the fence and moved the score to 3-0 in favor of the Gauchos.

The Highlanders responded in the top of the very next inning with some help from some defensive lapses by the Gauchos. The rally began with Jenna Curtan's one out single, and she advanced to second when Shylene Helms was hit by a pitch. Curtan was able to score on an errant throw by the catcher after a double steal with Helms moving into scoring position.

Pinch hitter Sarah Parten reached on infield single to second putting runners at the corners. Helms was able to score after a comebacker off the bat of Maddy Richard was too hot for Gulvin to handle pushing UCR within a run of UCSB.

The Gauchos were able to add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Sierra Altmeyer added another RBI to her day driving in Jacqueline Hinojosa after her single to begin the frame.

The Highlanders were retired in order for the first time in the game in the top of the seventh giving UCSB a series opening 4-2 win. Veronika Gulvin picked up her 14th win of the season, and Misfeldt dropped to 8-3.


GAME TWO

The afternoon gam's pitching pitted UCR freshman Jacy Boles against UCSB's Ashley Wright

After taking five innings to get any offense going in game one, UCR showed early on that offense wasn't going to be a problem in game two.

The scoring started in the top of the second with a homerun by catcher Chelsey Holley, her first of the year.

The Highlanders were able to break the game open in the top of the third bringing home eight runs behind seven hits coupled with three errors by the Gauchos.

After back-to-back singles by Harris and Curtan to start the inning, Wright was replaced in the circle by Lena Mayer who only allowed 3 hits but was hurt by the defensive mistakes in the infield.

The Gauchos would respond in the bottom of the inning, after a lead-off walk to Hinojosa and back to back singles to load the bases, Boles was replaced by freshman Haley Marschall who allowed only one inherited runner to score, before inducing three groundballs to get out of the inning with minimal damage.

The Highlanders were able to keep the bats hot, scoring one in the fourth and adding two more in the fifth to push the score to 12-1 and held that score through five innings forcing a five-inning run-rule victory. This was the first time that the Gauchos had been run ruled by the Highlanders.

The Gauchos were able to put a runner on base in every inning but struggled with runners in scoring position managing a .143 batting average.

Haley Marschall picked up the win in relief moving her to 6-5 on season while Ashley Wright was tagged with the loss pushing her record to 1-2.

The series will be decided tomorrow at 1 PM.