Box Score RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Pushing across the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) women's softball team edged the visiting Idaho State University (ISU) Bengals, 2-1, in the third game of the annual Highlander Classic on Friday, Feb. 14 at Amy S. Harrison Field on the campus of UCR.
For the sixth time in seven games this season, the Highlanders opened the scoring, scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Senior designated player
Sarah Parten (Bellflower, Calif. / Mayfair HS) reached first base on a two-out infield error, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third base and scored on a RBI single through the left side of the infield off the bat of senior 1B
Melanie Olmos (Riverside, Calif. / Grand Terrace HS).
Freshman RHP
Briza Blanco (Murrieta, Calif. / Vista Murrieta HS) came on in relief of freshman starting sophomore RHP
Megan Casper (Laguna Hills, Calif. / Laguna Hills HS), who went the first 1-1/3 innings, but allowed two hits and surrendered three walks. Blanco was sailing along until the top of the seventh when allowed a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs.
On came senior RHP reliever
Jacy Boles (Roseville, Calif. / Woodcreek HS) who had the tying run score on a sacrifice fly (which wound up being a double play). The top of the seventh ended with a fielder's choice.
In the bottom of the seventh, Parten socked a one-out double. Freshman
Berkeley Quinn (Yorba Linda, Calif. / Yorba Linda HS) came into the game as a pinch runner. Junior C-IF
Kennedi Sorensen (Valencia, Calif. / New Mexico State U.) hit a roller to third base which was ruled a hit as Quinn advanced to third. With runners at the corners, Sorensen advanced to second on defensive indifference.
After a fielder's choice erased Quinn at the plate, sophomore LF
Nadia Witt (Keizer, Ore. / McNary HS) batted a rolling ball which struck third base as well as the third baseman and Sorensen raced home with the game-winning run.
"I really thought our team 'clutched up' and had the mind set to never give up," said UCR fourth-year head softball coach
Nikki Palmer, "Blanco did a good job of locating her pitches and stuck with the game plan of pitching coach
Cindy Bristow," continued Palmer.
"We had a good team effort, and we're getting better every time," concluded Palmer.
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UCR continues its season this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 15 and 16, when it continues to host its annual Highlander Classic with games at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day at Amy S. Harrison Field on the UCR campus. Also participating in the tournament are the Idaho State University (ISU) Bengals, the Santa Clara University (SCU) Broncos, and the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP) Miners.
In earlier action, Santa Clara (3-3) opened the day's play with a 4-2 win over then winless UTEP before UTEP (1-6) posted its first win of the season with a 6-2 win over Idaho State.
In Saturday's action, UTEP faces Idaho State at 9 a.m., then Santa Clara takes on Idaho State at 11:30 a.m. before UCR concludes the day's play when it hosts Santa Clara at 2 p.m.
