On Friday, Feb. 28, the UC Riverside softball team (7-11) competed against the University of Montana (9-9). The loss marked the Highlanders’ eighth straight loss of the season while the win for Montana gave them their seventh win of the season.
Since 2018, the Highlanders have played against Montana a total of two times. The Highlanders have lost both times.
143 people were in attendance to watch the game at the Amy S. Harrison Field. The weather for the duration of the softball game was a partly cloudy 70 degrees.
The 9 a.m. game was the first of their Friday doubleheader and the first game of the Amy S. Harrison Classic.
The first two innings were scoreless for both teams. In the third inning, the Grizzlies got two runs on the board after junior first baseman Cami Sellers was walked and sophomore shortstop Maygen McGrath hit a home run to left field. The home run led to Sellers and McGrath both scoring a run, as they gave Montana an early 2-0 lead over the Highlanders. In the same inning, the Grizzlies added another run to the scoreboard. Senior infielder Morgan Johnson hit a single and advanced to second base after a wild pitch from UCR. Junior infielder Lexi Knuass hit a double to right center field and Johnson ran to home plate as she extended Montana’s lead, 3-0.
UCR sophomore left fielder Nadia Witt scored a run for the Highlanders in the fourth inning. Witt was brought home after sophomore third baseman Moana Pisia hit a single and advanced the runners on base. Despite the run, UCR still found themselves down 3-1.
Montana scored two more runs in the sixth inning and held a 5-1 lead at the end of the inning. The Highlanders attempted to tie the game in the seventh and final inning but their efforts weren’t enough. UCR senior right fielder Danielle Ortega and freshman second baseman Lauryn Garewal both scored for the Highlanders but in the end, the final score was 5-3, favoring the Grizzlies.
The second game against the University of Nebraska at Omaha (9-9) was played at 11:30 a.m. This game saw the Highlanders get shutout on the scoreboard as they went scoreless against the Mavericks.
The game only went five innings and Maverick junior pitcher Sydney Hampton threw a no-hitter game, the 18th such game in Maverick program history. By the second inning, the Mavericks already had nine runs on the board compared to the Highlander’s zero.
On Saturday, Feb. 29, the Highlanders took on the University of Nebraska at Omaha once again. This time around, the Highlanders were victorious as they defeated the Mavericks 4-3.
Ortega, senior third baseman Emma Ramelot, junior infielder Kennedi Sorensen and senior utility Kayla Curtan all scored a run each for the Highlanders.
Up next, the Highlanders will battle against Michigan State University (4-12) on Saturday, March 6 in Riverside at the Amy S. Harrison field.
