LONG BEACH, Calif. – Offense was at a premium for the UC Riverside softball team on Sunday afternoon, but the scoring opportunities were there for the Highlanders despite 3-1 and 13-2 defeats to Long Beach State.
 
The Highlanders created their fair share of scoring chances in Sunday afternoon's Big West opener at the Long Beach State Softball Complex, notably in the third inning of game one when UCR created a bases-loaded, one-out situation started by a 3-1 walk from Katherine Montuya.
 
Game one was a pitcher's duel early on with Chrys Hildebrand surrendering just one hit through the day's first three innings. The Beach created their own scoring threat in the bottom half of the third, but the junior transfer from San Jose State escaped unscathed with a pair of pop outs. 
 
Kennedi Sorensen caught her first of two runners stealing to close out the fifth inning, then led off the sixth with a single to short on an 0-2 pitch. With the bases loaded once more, UCR made the most of their opportunity with a fielding error that brought Briza Blanco home from third. 
 
Lauryn Garewal and Montuya led the Highlanders offensively to open conference play, each going 1 for 3 with a stolen base while Marissa Burk extended her hit streak to four games.
 
Sorensen turned it on offensively in the second game, homering on a 3-2 pitch for an early 2-0 UCR lead. The knock was her second home run of the season and gave the New Mexico State transfer her fourth and fifth RBIs on the year.
 
Montuya, Garewal, Sorensen and Berkeley Quinn all reached base for the Highlanders in game two, as Sorensen now owns a streak of reaching safely in seven consecutive games. 

The Highlanders will finish off their first series of Big West play with a 10:00 a.m. first pitch against the Beach on Monday morning.