| Seventh
Inning Rallies Cost Highlanders In Both Ends of Doubleheader
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
(May
3, 2008) - The UC Riverside softball team (18-34, 4-13) lost
two heartbreakers to Cal State Northridge (20-23, 9-8) Saturday
afternoon at Amy S Harrison Field as the Matadors stitched
together seventh-inning rallies in both ends of the doubleheader
to pick up the wins.
Christin Songer
took to the circle in Game 1 for UCR in search
of her 10th win of the season. She did her part by allowing
just four base runners through the first six innings, but
the Highlanders offense managed just six base runners during
that same time span, and the teams entered the seventh in
a scoreless tie.
The Matador half of the seventh began innocently enough with
Songer inducing Alexandria Alvarado to pop out to third. Pinch
hitter Karla Chaparro followed with a single, and Amanda Pitzenberger
lofted a fly ball to shallow right that seemed destined to
be the second out of the inning. However, the ball popped
out of right fielder April Murray's
glove for an error, and
Cal State Northridge had runners on first and second with
one out.
Songer recorded out number two when Tracy Allen flied out
to right, but hit pinch hitter Christina Saenz to load the
bases, bringing up the Matadors leading hitter Amanda Peek.
Peek worked Songer for a walk to plate the lone run of the
game giving Cal State Northridge the win. The loss dropped
Songer's record to 10-10 on the season, while Matadors starter
Mercedes Lovato improved to 16-13.
Marissa Alvidrez
got the call to pitch Game 2 for UCR, and
the Highlanders appeared headed for their fifth conference
win of the season taking a 3-0 lead into the seventh. Murray
scored the first UC Riverside run on a sac fly by Kristie
Martinez in the first, and pinch hitter Tiana Towns
plated
two with an RBI single in the sixth.
The Matadors had just three hits to their credit entering
the seventh, but opened the frame with back-to-back singles.
Kristen Mihm followed with an infield single of her own, and
one Matadors runner came plateward when Highlanders shortstop
Kameryn
Hebenton misplayed Mihm's grounder. It was the last hit
of the inning for Cal State Northridge, but not the end of
the scoring as two more Highlanders errors, a walk and a wild
pitch helped the Matadors to a 4-3 lead.
Alvidrez led off the seventh with an intentional walk. Pinch
runner Milana Johnson
replaced Alvidrez and made her way to
third on a sec bunt and a groundout, but she was stranded
there as the Matadors completed the come-from-behind victory.
UCR and Cal State Northridge finish their three-game series
Sunday at noon as the Highlanders honor their 2008 senior
class prior to the game.
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