CSUN And UC Riverside Split Saturday Doubleheader

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—CSUN and UC Riverside split a Big West Conference softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon.

GAME 1
UC Riverside's Hailey Dolcini no-hit the Matados as UC Riverside defeated CSUN 6-0 in the opener.

CSUN stranded four runners on base that walked through the first four innings. Jillian James struck out five of the first nine batters she faced. James allowed one base runner through four innings, a two-out walk to Raena Robinson.

With one out in the fifth, James hit Emma Ramelot. Seanna Garewal appeared to have fouled out attempting to bunt Ramelot over. However, James was called for an illegal pitch, her third of the game, prolonging the at-bat. Ramelot successfully sacrificed Ramelot to second. Jenae Lockwood recorded the first hit for either team, a single to right, to give UCR runners on the corners. Pinch-hitter Chelsey Holley ran the count to 3-2 before softly lining out to Kenedee Jamerson at first to wrap up matters.

Jenna Curtan led off the Highlanders' sixth with an infield single. Hannah Rodriguez's sacrifice bunt advanced Curtan to second. Sarah Parten walked on four pitches. Brittney Garcia would also walk to load the bases. Rebecca Faulkner fouled out before Ramelot hit a diving liner that fell in between center and second. Curtan and Parten scored on the play as Garcia advanced to third. A CSUN error, allowed Garcia to come home for a 3-0 UCR lead.

Seanna Garwell was hit by a pitch to give UCR runners on the corners. Lockwood to walk to load the bases. Pinch hitter Amanda Lynch faced Jamerson, who relieved James. Lynch singled to right center to empty the bases and put UC Riverside up by the final 6-0.

Dolcini walked four and struck out two. The CSUN pitchers allowed only four hits and struck out six.

"We weren't able to make any adjustments in the first game," said CSUN head coach Tairia Flowers. "She threw a very good game. JJ also threw a good game, they had a couple of bloopers that fell in that got away from us and scored."

GAME 2
The Matadors earned the split with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap.

Savannah Horvath recorded CSUN's first hit of the day, a single, with two outs in the top of the fourth. Haileigh Gonzalez reached on a one-out infield single in the fifth. Gonzalez took second on a Tayler Misfeldt wild pitch. Gator Rascon battled Misfeldt and worked out a walk after going 10-pitches into the at-bat. Juilanna Martinez pinch-ran for Rascon as Jocelin Soto came to the plate. Soto doubled down the left field line to drive in both runners.

Kenedee Jamerson walked. Kira Cauley sacrifice both runners up a base. Lockwood, the UCR catcher, tried to pick pinch-runner Pudi Hernandez off at second. The throw was wide, allowing Soto to score. Jessica Alexander walked to keep the inning alive for Horvath. Horvath drove in Hernandez with single to left.

With one out in the bottom of the fifth Garewal walked. Lockwood singled. Taylor Troost relieved Megan Stevens to face Lynch, a pinch-hitter. Lynch struck out looking. Curtan flew out to center to end the inning. A Gonzalez one-out home run in the sixth increased CSUN's lead to the final 5-0.

Stevens and Troost combined for a three-hitter. Horvath charted two of the five CSUN hits. Curtan was 2-for-3 for the Highlanders.

"I'm really proud of how we responded and came back in the second game," Flowers said. "We kept the pressure on. It wasn't just one inning that we were battling and working out some walks. We found a way throughout the entire game."

The Matadors (17-29, 2-6 Big West) and the Highlanders (26-16, 3-5 Big West) conclude the series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

~www.GoMatadors.com~

Players Mentioned

Jessica Alexander

Kira Cauley

Haileigh Gonzalez

Pudi Hernandez

Savannah Horvath

Kenedee Jamerson

Jillian James

Gator Rascon

Jocelin Soto

Megan Stevens

Taylor Troost