April 19, 2008

PHOTO GALLERY

UC Riverside 1, UC Davis 0 (Game 1)
UC Davis 7, UC Riverside 3 (Game 2)

DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis split a Big West Conference softball doubleheader with UC Riverside Saturday afternoon at La Rue Field. The visiting Highlanders won the first game, 1-0, before the Aggies came back with a 7-3 victory in the second game. Sarah O'Neill went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs for UC Davis while Trish Paine collected two triples on the day.

The day also featured the Aggies' annual Strike Out Cancer fundraiser, which netted several hundred dollars for the UC Davis Cancer Center. Both teams, including players and coaches, were wearing special pink uniforms in honor of the event.

Game one featured a pitching duel between the Aggies' Jessica Hancock and the Highlanders' Christin Songer. The teams combined for just five hits through five innings. Additionally, Hancock only allowed one runner past first base during that time.

UC Riverside (18-26, 4-7 Big West) broke through in the top of the sixth with one run on three hits. The lone run came around to score on an RBI-single by Kristie Martinez with one out. Hancock avoided further damage when she struck out Brooke Hebenton with the bases loaded.

Julie Stauder finished the game 2-for-3 while Sarah Axelson and Paine also had base hits. Paine led off the first inning with a triple to set up what turned out to be the Aggies' best scoring opportunity of the game. Songer proceeded to retire the side with a pair of strikeouts and a line-out. She struck out five and walked five while pitching the four-hit shutout. Hancock struck out six and walked just one.

UC Davis (19-30, 4-7 Big West) wasted little time getting on the board in the second game. With two outs and no one on in the first, Stauder, Deanna Menapace and O'Neill had consecutive singles. O'Neill picked up the RBI with her base hit to left field to put UC Davis on top 1-0.

It stayed a one-run game until UC Davis broke through for six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Axelson led off with a double, and Michelle Espiritu came in as a pinch runner. Ashley Johnson stepped up and had a run-scoring single to drive in Espiritu and make it 2-0. After Jenny Corbett was hit by a pitch, a two-run triple by Paine upped the lead to 4-0. Jessica Gonzalez added a bunt-single to drive in Paine for a 5-0 advantage. Three batters later, O'Neill capped off the scoring with a two-run single.

UC Riverside came back with a run in the sixth and two more in the ninth. The game ended when O'Neill made a shoestring catch on a line drive by Katie Curtis with the bases loaded.

Alex Holmes pitched a complete-game and picked up her sixth victory of the year for UC Davis. The freshman allowed three runs on eight hits. She struck out four and walked just one.

"We did a much better job with timely hitting in the second game," said Yoder. "We only left four on base after leaving seven in the first game. We really stepped up and did a good job with that."

Saturday marked the fourth annual Strike Out Cancer event for UC Davis. Several fans made donations to help fight the disease, and all proceeds go to the UC Davis Cancer Center.

"We appreciate the community and everyone coming out to watch us today and supporting a great cause. Having UC Riverside take part in Strike Out Cancer is a tribute to the class of their team," said Yoder.

The two teams conclude their three-game series Sunday at noon.