DAVIS, Calif. - UC Riverside completed the first leg of a Big West road trip in Northern California on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Davis, falling 5-4 and 5-0 in the doubleheader.
Maddie Heinlin got the ball for the second straight game and immediately faced some adversity in the circle, but redeemed herself with a swinging strikeout to end the first inning.
The sophomore turned away five of her next six batters while UC Riverside got on the board first. Kat Montuya returned to the Highlander lineup and blasted an RBI triple to center in the third, scoring Lauryn Garewal before coming home herself on a throwing error from Davis' center fielder.
UC Davis tacked on a run in the fifth and sixth before rallying for three runs in the seventh and the series-securing win.
The Highlanders had no answer for UC Davis' pitching in the series finale, but saw a glimpse of offense in the fourth inning with Montuya's second extra-base hit of the day that advanced Eta Lauti to third.
Lauti got her first Highlander start in game one.
UC Riverside will continue its Big West road trip at Hawaii next weekend for a three-game series on April 14 and 15.