Long Beach—Senior Natalie Sanchez hit two homeruns in the series opening 10-2 victory over Long Beach State as UCR split the double header against the 49ers, who took game two, 3-2.

UC Riverside 10, Long Beach State 2

For the second time in her career, Sanchez hit a pair of homeruns in a game, which lead the Highlanders to a 10-2 victory over the 49ers in the first game of the day.

Sanchez hit a solo shot in the fourth give the Highlanders 3-0 lead. Maddy RIchard scored for the second time in the fourth, before Chelsey Holley delivered a solo homerun of her to make a 5-0 game. With Courtnie Ploesch aboard in the fifth, Sanchez blasted her second big fly of the day to give the Highlanders a commanding 7-0 lead. The home team got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but UCR responded with three more in top of the seventh.

Tayler Misfeldt kept the Long beach hitters in check and took the bat out of Darian Tautalafua hands, walking her four times in the game en route to her Big West leading 21st win of the season.


UC Riverside 2, Long Beach State 3

The Highlanders again would score first in the game of the set as Jenna Curtan got a hit and was brought in by Holley. In the second, Stephanie Tickemyer got a leadofff hit and crossed the plate on a Hannah Rodriguez single down the left field line to stake UCR to a 2-0 advantage.

The Beach would respond in the bottom half of the inning when they got just one hit, but scored on bases loaded walk to Tautalafua. In the fourth, they would plate another on a fielding error to tie the game at to apiece.

In the bottom of the seventh with runners on second and third, the 49ers got a walkoff single to win 3-2. Anessa Cepeda (2-1) suffered her first loss of the season in the complete game effort.

The series finale is today at 1 pm.