Date: April 21, 2012
Highlanders 6 – Titans 5
The first game on Saturday yielded nice results for the Highlanders as they finally put enough runs on the board to edge out the Titans in a 6-5 victory. Both teams started right off the bat, with UCR scoring three and CSUF two in the first inning alone. UCR’s Anissa Young hit a double in the second inning, allowing for two runs. Kayla White scored on a single, further pushing the lead to 6-2. Fullerton was unable to convert until the fourth inning when three quick runs were scored, leading to the eventual score of 6-5. Highlander pitcher Jordyn McDonald, who came in as relief, was given the win, while Titans pitcher Desiree Ybarra was given the loss.
Date: April 21, 2012
Highlanders 7 – Titans 5
The second game of the Highlander and Titan saga began later Saturday evening, and the Highlanders again edged out the Titans for a 7-5 victory. Just like the first game, UCR started off fast, as Jessica Vasser scored two in the first inning. But Fullerton responded back within the inning, scoring four runs to overtake UCR. Vasser scored on a hit by Jojo Mendoza, leading to a 4-3 deficit in the fourth. Single runs were exchanged between the two sides until it was 5-4. The Highlanders then came on the attack and scored three runs in the sixth to swing the game in their favor. One additional run was scored in the seventh and final inning, during which the Highlanders also stopped Fullerton from scoring at all, leading to the ultimate score of 7-5. Highlander Taylor Alvarez was given the victory, while Titan pitcher Katey Laban was pinned with the loss.
Date: April 22, 2012
Titans 5 – Highlanders 4
In the final game of the series, the Highlanders looked to sweep the Titans on a Sunday afternoon, but they could not pull out the victory, losing 5-4 to Fullerton. Just like the previous two games of the series, there was an offensive outburst by both teams from the get-go. A Titan homerun in the first inning gave the home team a 1-0 lead. In the second, the Highlanders responded with two back-to-back solo home runs of their own, as Dionne Anderson hit a homer and teammate Kaylie Atkinson hitting another solo shot right after. The Titans responded again with a solo home run in the bottom of second, tying the game 2-2. With already four home runs in the game, Highlander Atkinson decided to hit her second home run of the game as she went deep towards left field, giving the Highlanders a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning. A two run fifth inning for the Titans gave them a 4-3 lead, as the Highlanders gave up three hits in that inning. In the seventh inning, the Highlanders rallied to tie the game thanks to an RBI double by Kayla White, bringing in the tying run from second base. The Titans, however, took the win in the bottom of the seventh, as a fielding error cost the Highlanders, giving the Titans a 5-4 win. This is the second time in Division I history that UCR has defeated CSUF in a series, as the Highlanders won the first two games. The first time was in 2010.
Next week, the Highlanders continue their road trip as they will play CSU Long Beach in a three game series on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29.
