CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Dropping a pair of games on Friday, Feb. 21, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) women's softball team concluded its second day of competition at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic (MNCC) at Big League Dreams.
What began as a 16-team affair in 2004, now boasts 30 teams and 75 games over the four-day weekend (Thursday through Sunday).
UCR's first game Friday: Mississippi State U. 6, UC Riverside 3 (nonconference)
In its first game of Friday, UCR (6-7) lost, 6-3, to the designated home team, the Mississippi State University (MSU) Bulldogs. MSU (11-2) overcame a modest 1-0 deficit with a five-run second inning and led, 6-1, after three frames. UCR tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to get cosmetically closer.
UCR starting sophomore RHP
Megan Casper (Laguna Hills, Calif. / Laguna Hills HS) deserved a better fate. Casper (0-2) went the distance (6.0 IP) as she allowed six runs (one earned) on six hits and four walks. In the fateful second inning, MSU parlayed two walks, three hits and four UCR errors into five unearned runs.
In the UCR seventh, senior DP
Sarah Parten (Bellflower, Calif. / Mayfair HS) delivered a two-out, two-run single which plated senior 3B
Emma Ramelot (Riverside, Calif. / Martin Luther King HS) and senior
Kayla Curtan (Roseville, Calif. / Woodcreek HS), who had a pinch hit single.
Ramelot went three for four with two runs scored to pace the Highlanders.
UCR's second game Friday: University of Utah 12, UCR 6 (nonconference)
Showing its best offensive output of the weekend thus far, UCR built leads of 1-0, 5-0, and 6-5, but its opposition, the University of Utah Utes were more than equal to the task as they bounced back to post a 12-6 win over UCR in Friday's nightcap.
UCR led, 1-0, in the top of the first thanks to a RBI single by sophomore LF
Nadia Witt (Keizer, Ore. / McNary HS). The Highlanders upped their early advantage to 5-0 after 1-1/2 innings thanks to a two-run double by Ramelot and a two-run single by senior 1B
Melanie Olmos (Riverside, Calif. / Grand Terrace HS).
After Utah tallied twice in the second and thrice in the fourth, UCR broke the then- 5-5 tie when freshman SS
Marissa Burk (Fontana, Calif. / Fontana HS) led off the fifth frame with a solo home run to left field for a 6-5 UCR lead.
Undaunted, Utah combined four walks and six hits (including a three-run home run) into six runs for an 11-6 lead. The Utes added a run in the sixth for the 12-6 final score.
Casper, who entered the game in the fifth, allowed two runs (earned) on three hits and a walk to receive her second loss of the day (0-3).
Sophomore CF
Haylee Kela (Long Beach, Calif. / Lakewood HS) led UCR by going three for four. Ramelot, Olmos and Witt each went two for four as the Highlanders pounded out 12 hits.
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UCR concludes play in the MNCC on Saturday, Feb. 22, when it faces the Oregon State University (OSU) Beavers at 7 p.m.
