Chelsey Holley (No. 4) makes contact for a single.
Janelle Soto/HIGHLANDER

April 3, 2015
Highlanders 3 – 49ers 2

The UC Riverside softball team continued their stellar season with a 3-2 win over Big West foe Long Beach State. Moving to 30-9 and 2-2 in conference, the Highlanders needed 10 innings to dispose of the 49ers as neither ball club tallied a run in the first seven innings.

UCR pitcher Chelsea Ponce was the star of the day. With four strikeouts and six hits at 34 bats, Ponce pitched all 10 innings and improved to 22-5 on the year.

After seven scoreless innings, Long Beach State struck first with a two-run homer in the ninth, but UCR responded in the same inning as freshman Rebecca Faulkner ripped a home run over center field, scoring teammate Karina Romero as well to tie the game, 2-2.

With the 49ers unable to scratch in the 10th, the Highlanders made their move, scoring the final run of the contest, 3-2, off a Jenna Curtan hit, which scored Stephanie Tickemeyer.

April 4, 2015
Highlanders 3 – 49ers 2
49ers 4 – Highlanders 1

On a beautiful, sunny day at the Amy S. Harrison Field, the Highlanders split a two-game doubleheader versus Long Beach State, winning the first contest 3-2 before falling 4-1 to conclude the weekend.

In the first contest, UCR scored in the second inning before Long Beach State jumped out to a 2-1 lead behind a two-run fourth inning.

The Highlanders, who have responded extremely well when playing from behind this season, tacked on a run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game, 2-2.

Heading into the seventh inning, UCR found another gear as the leading hitter for the club Haley Harris smacked a rocket to right field to bring in the winning run, 3-2.

In game two, the 49ers found their offensive groove, recording nine hits to UCR’s four. Long Beach State tallied a three-run homer in the fifth inning, which cemented their first victory over UCR, 4-1.

Redshirt junior Chelsea Ponce went 2-1 over the weekend, striking out 10 and giving up 13 hits in 20 innings of work.
UCR next plays a home doubleheader against Cal State Fullerton beginning on Saturday, April 11.