SAN DIEGO  - UC Riverside played just once at the Campbell Cartier Classic on Saturday morning, battling Utah Valley to a 3-2 walkoff win at the SDSU Softball Stadium. 

After a bump in the road, overcoming adversity was exactly what the Highlanders needed as they continued their upward trajectory on the young season. 

"It was a great team win and it's great to have this experience with the pressure on," head coach Nikki Palmer said. "Everything is gathering experience to make us stronger for the future this season."

Taylor Burdette was the clutch factor for UCR early on. The sophomore kickstarted the offense in the first and third innings before plating both early runs that twice saw the Highlanders play catch up. 

Brooke Perez's second collegiate start didn't begin as smooth as her first, but the true freshman still kept the Wolverines in check after retiring six of seven batters following a rocky first two innings. Perez ultimately turned away 15 of her next 18 batters and Maddie Heinlin got the win as the duo split two strikeouts apiece. 

UC Riverside kept chopping wood until the very end, as Lauryn Garewal got a seventh-inning rally going with a double to left center. Burdette was clutch one final time for the Highlanders in Saturday's lone contest, singling to shortstop to move Garewal over 60 feet before stealing third. Nadia Witt brought Garewal home on a single up the middle an at-bat later. 

UCR will close the Campbell Cartier Classic on Sunday with another pair of games, battling Oregon again at 10:00 a.m. before the Highlanders' tournament finale against LMU at 3:00 p.m.