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(March 30, 2008) - UC Riverside
dropped a 3-1 decision to UC Santa Barbara in the final game
of each team's Big West Conference opening series at Amy S.
Harrison Field on Sunday. Senior leftfielder Roni Yee and
sophomore designated player Marissa each recorded two hits
for the Highlanders (14-22, 0-3 Big West).
UCR jumped out to an early
1-0 lead in the first inning after a two-out RBI single by
junior first baseman Katie Curtis brought home Alvidrez. The
Highlanders then struggled to pick up the big hit off of UCSB's
Tami Weston for much of the afternoon after she relieved Gaucho
starter MeLinda Matsumoto in the second inning.
Matsumoto held the potent
Highlander offense in check the rest of the way, limiting
UCR to five hits and zero runs. UCSB (20-14, 3-0 Big West)
grabbed a 3-1 lead after bringing three runs across in the
fourth. Four consecutive hits started off the inning, with
the deciding hit coming on a bases-loaded two-run double by
Tisha Duran. The Gauchos then added another run, two batters
later in the inning, to take a 3-1 lead.
The Highlanders continued
to battle until the very end, as the tying-run came to plate
with one-out in the seventh after Yee and Alvidrez both singled.
But Matsumoto continued to make her pitches and induced the
Highlanders into a game-ending double play to pick up the
victory.
Junior starter Stephanie
Marshall (2-9) suffered the loss after allowing just the three
earned runs to a tough UCSB lineup.
Senior right fielder April
Murray extended her hitting streak to 13 games with her single
in the second inning.
The Highlanders hit the
road for three-game series at Cal State Fullerton next weekend.
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