Riverside—In the Big West home opening double header against UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside prevailed, 4-0, in the first game of the day and 7-6 in the second.

*Tomorrow's series finale has been rescheduled to 11 am from 1 pm in an effort to avoid oncoming rain.

UC Santa Barbara 0, UC Riverside 4

The first game of the day featured a dominate pitching performance by Tayler Misfeldt. Misfeldt tossed a six-hit complete game shutout in the series opening game with UCR Softball Alumni in attendance for Alumni Day.

In the bottom of the first inning, Maddie Richard led off with an infield single and was then moved over to second via a Haley Harris sacrifice. Natalie Sanchez then came to the plate and singled to left, scoring Richard. Sanchez would advance to second on the throw to the plate and come in to score on Jenna Curtan's double, staking the Highlanders to a 2-0 lead, which would be enough for Misfeldt.

UC Santa Barbara would not pose a scoring threat until the top of the fourth inning, when they loaded the bases with two outs. Misfeldt would get out of the jam, forcing a groundout that she retired cleanly.

The Highlanders would tack on another run in the bottom half of the inning on a Haley Harris triple,which scored Richard for the second time in the game. In the sixth, pinch runner Stephanie Tickemyer would score on a Curtan sac fly to make it a 4-0 game, which is how it would end.

Misfeldt would run her record to 15-8 on the season and help earn the first conference win for UCR in the 2016 campaign.

UC Santa Barbara 6, UC Riverside 7

In the second game of the day UCR overcame a six run deficit to win 7-6, thanks to a Hannah Rodriguez walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Freshman Anessa Cepeda got the start in game two, which would be her first innings pitched of the season and at the collegiate level. Cepeda retired the first hitter she faced, then walked the second and retired the third hitter on a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning. On the next play, shortstop Hannah Rodriguez would make an error that would extend the UC Santa Barbara inning. Cepeda hit the next batter, before allowing a single that scored two runs and left runners on second and third that advanced on the throw to the plate. Cepeda then got the following hitter to it a groundball to first base, but Sanchez misplayed it and allowed a third run to score. The Gauchos would plate a fourth run before ending the frame.

Coming into the game, the Highlanders were 15th in the nation in fielding. UC Santa Barbara would score two more in the third, making it a six run game and putting the Highlanders in danger of having a game ended via the mercy rule for the third time in 2016 conference play.

In the bottom of the fourth, the home team would get on the board, thanks to a Tickemyer single up the middle that scored Erika Campbell. Catcher Chelsey Holley would then drive in pinch runner Shylene Helms to close the gap 6-2.

With two outs in the sixth, Rodriguez doubled down the right field line and moved to third when Richard got an infield single. Harris came to the plate and lauched the first pitch she saw over the left field fence, for her second homerun of the season. Harris' three run shot made it a one run game, 6-5, heading into the seventh.

Cepeda settled in after a tough first inning and got the top of the seventh with two outs and a runner on third, when Misfeldt came on in relief and recorded the final out of the inning.

Curtan doubled down the left field line to lead off the bottom of the seventh. The next two Highlander hitters were retired, bringing freshman Jenae Lockwood to the plate with two out. With a 1-2 count, Lockwood singled to right field, scoring Curtan and tying the game, 6-6. Tickemyer then drew a walk, which moved Lockwood into scoring position at second base.

Rodriguez, who already has a game winning hit to her credit this season, hit a soft fly ball into right field just out of the reach of the diving right fielder, who got glove on the ball, but could not maintain control as she hit the ground. Lockwood, hustling from second, came in to score the winning run for a 7-6 victory and a sweep on the day.

Tomorrow's series finale has been rescheduled to 11 am from 1 pm in an effort to avoid oncoming rain.