RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Avenging a run-rule loss last week, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) women's softball team returned the favor as it topped the Michigan State University (MSU) Spartans, 
9-1, Friday (March 6) in its annual UCR Classic softball tournament at the Amy S. Harrison Field on the UCR campus.
 
UCR (9-12) tallied once in each of its first three innings and led, 5-0, after five frames. MSU (6-15) got on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the sixth before the Highlanders scored four in the sixth to put the game away/ 
 
With two out in the first, junior C Kennedi Sorensen (Valencia, Calif. / New Mexico State U.) walked and scored when a ground ball up the middle by senior 1B Melanie Olmos (Riverside, Calif. / Grand Terrace HS) rolled all the way to the center-field fence and UCR led, 1-0.
 
In the second, senior DP Sarah Parten (Bellflower, Calif. / Mayfair HS) doubled and scored on a RBI single by sophomore CF Haylee Kela (Long Beach, Calif. / Lakewood HS). In the third, Sorensen doubled, but was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of Olmos. Olmos scored on a RBI single by sophomore LF Nadia Witt (Keizer, Ore. / McNary HS).
 
 
In the fifth, senior Kayla Curtan (Roseville, Calif. / Woodcreek HS) delivered a pinch hit two-run home run to give UCR a 5-0 advantage. 
 
After a solo home run in the top of the sixth by MSU, the Highlanders strung together five hits and two errors into four runs for the 9-1 final score.
 
UCR starting sophomore RHP Chrys Hildebrand (Yorba Linda, Calif. / Esperanza HS) sailed along for 5-1/3 innings in her finest outing of the season to notch her second win (2-1). She scattered eight hits, allowed the home run and struck out one
 
UCR Classic play continues Saturday when UCR hosts Cal State Bakersfield in a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.
 
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In earlier action Friday, Southern Utah (3-12) topped Cal State Bakersfield, 8-4, to open the day's action before Michigan State downed CSB (1-10), 6-2.