DAVIS, Calif. – The UC Riverside Highlanders used a 13-hit attack to claim a 7-4 win in game one before coming up just short in a 3-1 defeat in game two of Friday's doubleheader against the UC Davis Aggies.
GAME ONE: UC Riverside 7, UC Davis 4
UC Riverside opened the scoring in the second when
Leilani Juan doubled to right center, moved to third after a hit-by-pitch and single, then scored on an RBI bunt single from
Eta Lauti to make it 1-0.
In the third, the Highlanders extended their lead.
Rebeca Cabezas reached on an error, advanced on a sacrifice bunt from
Trendee Kahunahana, and later scored when
Haley Saole reached on another Aggie error, making it 2-0.
After UC Davis tied the game 2-2, UC Riverside answered with two runs in the fourth. Lauti was hit by a pitch and scored on a triple down the left field line by
Kamryn Davis, and Cabezas drove in Davis with a groundout to give the Highlanders a 4-2 lead.
Leading 4-3 in the sixth, UC Riverside broke the game open. Davis singled up the middle and scored on a bunt single by Cabezas and an RBI bunt from
Trendee Kahunahana.
Leilani Juan and
Mariana Palazuelos added RBI singles later in the frame to extend the lead to 7-3.
Jackie Alday paced the Highlanders with a 3-for-5 effort, while Davis went 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI. Juan (2-for-4) and Alano (2-for-4) also tallied multi-hit games.
Maddie Heinlin (12-14) tossed a complete game, allowing eight hits and three earned runs while striking out three. She threw 148 pitches in the win.
GAME TWO: UC Davis 3, UC Riverside 1
UC Riverside struck first in game two but couldn't overcome a fourth-inning rally by the Aggies in a 3-1 setback.
The Highlanders opened the scoring in the first when Cabezas singled, stole second, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Alday.
UC Davis tied the game in the second on an error and took the lead in the fourth with a two-run home run.
Kahunahana and Alday each recorded multi-hit games, while Palazuelos doubled in the sixth to put the tying run in scoring position, but UC Riverside was unable to capitalize.
UC Riverside will look to take the series win in Saturday's finale against the Aggies, with first pitch scheduled for 1pm at La Rue Field.
