Riverside, Calif.- The UC Riverside Softball Team opened up the 2018 UCR Classic splitting a doubleheader with Boise State Thursday afternoon. The Broncos took the first game 18-8, but the Highlanders would bounce back to win a 3-0 shutout in the second.

GAME ONE
Boise State got out to an early lead in the first game putting up eight runs in the first two innings, but UCR would answer with two runs of its own in the bottom of the 2nd as junior Brittney Garcia crushed a two-run homer to left field for her first homerun of the season.

The Highlanders would cut the lead again in the 3rd as sophomore Sarah Parten scored on a ball put in play by Jenae Lockwood making the score 8-3.

The Broncos would add two more in the 4th, but UCR would keep the bats going as senior Chelsey Holley hit her first homerun of the season, a solo-shot to left field.

After another scoring outing by Boise, the Highlanders headed to the bottom of the 5th down 14-4, but the team would retaliate to score three more runs and force a 6th inning of play. Senior Jenna Curtan would bring in the first run as she reached on fielder's choice with the bases loaded to score freshman Raena Robinson. Freshman Seanna Garewal would be the next to bat hitting an RBI single and Parten would follow her lead with an RBI single of her own.

Both teams would score again in the 6th as Curtan put a ball into play that scored Garcia, but the Broncos would come away with the win 18-8.

Junior Hannah Rodriguez was an offensive force for the Highlanders in the first game of the doubleheader going 3-for-4 with a walk.

GAME TWO
After a loss, the Highlanders would quickly bounce back shutting out Boise 3-0 behind a strong outing from pitcher Hailey Dolcini. The freshman pitched a complete game for UCR allowing no runs, and just four hits, while striking out three.

UC Riverside put up all three of it its runs in the 4th inning to grab a lead that team would hold on to for the rest of the afternoon.

Sophomore Emma Ramelot would single and advance to 2nd allowing Hannah Rodriguez to come around and score after an errant throw to 3rd. Jenae Lockwood would follow with an RBI single to score Raena Robinson and the Highlanders would add their third and final run as Brittney Garcia hit an RBI single of her own to bring in Ramelot.

UCR is back in action again tomorrow as the team faces North Dakota State at 2:00PM at Amy S. Harrison Field.