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Box Score 2 RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Opening the first day of action in its Amy S. Harrison Classic softball tournament, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) women's softball team lost a pair of games on Friday (Feb. 28) at the Amy S. Harrison Field on the UCR campus.
Tournament namesake Amy S. Harrison delivered the ceremonial first pitch to get the weekend started.
In the opening game, Montana (7-9) broke a scoreless tie with a three-run top of the third inning, most of which came on a one-out, two-run home run to left field. UC Riverside (6-10) answered with a run in the fourth when sophomore pinch hitter
Moana Pisia (San Diego, Calif. / Grossmont HS) hit a dunker of a RBI single into shallow right field, driving in sophomore LF
Nadia Witt (Keizer, Ore. / McNary HS), who was aboard on a fielder's choice.
In the sixth, Montana parlayed three infield singles, a walk and a wild pitch to score twice.
The Highlanders answered with a pair of runs in their half of the seventh. Freshman 2B
Lauryn Garewal (Banning, Calif. / Banning HS) doubled home senior LF
Danielle Ortega (Granada Hills, Calif. / Bishop Alemany HS), who doubled to right-center field with one out. Ortega finished with two hits in three at bats to lead UCR. Garewal advanced to third base on a relay throwing error and scored on a wild pitch. Garewal's run later became earned when freshman SS
Marissa Burk (Fontana, Calif. / Fontana HS) singled up the middle.
UCR's scheduled starting senior RHP
Jacy Boles (Roseville, Calif. / Woodcreek HS) was replaced before the start of the game in favor of senior RHP
Melanie Olmos (Riverside, Calif. / Grand Terrace HS). Olmos, who pitched the top of the first inning, was replaced by Boles, who surrendered the two-run round tripper, and absorbed the loss (2-2).
In UCR's second game of the day, the visiting University of Nebraska, Omaha Mavericks (8-7) erupted for six runs in the top of the first inning and added three tallies in the top of the second to cruise to a run rule-shortened 9-0 no-hitter win (five innings).
Omaha starting junior RHP Sydney Hampton (8-2) was perfect for the first four innings before sophomore C
Jantzen Owen (Covina, Calif. / Charter Oak HS) induced a walk to open the fifth for UCR. After a foul out, freshman pinch runner
Berkeley Quinn (Yorba Linda, Calif. / Yorba Linda HS) was erased on an around the horn 5-4-3 double play to end the game as Hampton faced the minimum 15 batters. Olmos, who was lifted with two outs in the top of the first inning, drew the loss (1-3).
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In Friday's nightcap, Omaha (9-7) downed the Michigan State University (MSU) Spartans, 4-2.
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UCR continues its season Saturday and Sunday, February 29, and March 1, when it continues to host the annual Amy S. Harrison Classic. On Saturday, Feb. 29, Montana will be the home team against Omaha in the 9 a.m. game before Montana "hosts" Michigan State in the 11:30 a.m. contest. In Saturday's final game (at 2 p.m.), UCR will hosts Omaha.
