BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - UC Riverside (17-28, 11-14 Big West) opened the final weekend of the season on Friday with a dominant 5-1 win over Cal State Bakersfield at Roadrunner Softball Complex. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Maddie Heinlin improved to 6-11 on the year with a masterful seven-inning complete game, allowing a single run on just two hits with seven strikeouts.  
• Rebeca Cabezas opened the scoring for UC Riverside, wasting no time with an RBI to left field in the top of the first that scored Nadia Witt.  
• Bakersfield tied the series opener at one apiece before Cabezas notched her second RBI on the day in the third.  
• Gigi Araki put the Highlanders squarely in the driver's seat with a two-run home run in the fifth for just her second long ball of the season.  
• UCR rounded out the scoring in the sixth inning on a groundout from Jackie Alday to score Kamryn Davis.  

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS 

• Heinlin registered her second complete game of the season to give UCR a 1-0 series lead in its final weekend of 2024.  
• Cabezas notched her third three-hit outing of the season and second of Big West play. The sophomore was one of four Highlanders to record multiple hits in the win.  

UP NEXT 

• UC Riverside will complete its 2024 season on Saturday at Roadrunner Softball Complex with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.