Ceccacci Homers, but Cal Poly Falls in Both Ends of Friday Doubleheader

Friday, May 8

Riverside, CA

1 pm

22-31, 5-14

UC Riverside

37-17, 9-10

Cal Poly

UC Riverside

Ceccacci Homers, but Cal Poly Falls in Both Ends of Friday Doubleheader

5/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

RIVERSIDE – Senior left fielder Emily Ceccacci (right) swatted her second career home run on Friday afternoon, but UC Riverside pulled away from the Cal Poly softball team with a four-run fifth inning as the Mustangs fell in the opening game of a doubleheader, 6-2. The Mustangs, contesting their final series of 2015, also fell in game No. 2, 8-1.

During Friday's opening matchup at Amy S. Harrison Field, Cal Poly (22-32, 5-15) grabbed the game's opening lead in the top of the second inning with junior designated player Betsy Colburn tucking a grounder inside the left field foul line to bring home freshman third baseman Stephanie Heyward from second.

UC Riverside (38-17, 10-10), however, answered during the bottom half of the inning. Designated player Natalie Sanchez led off with a double into the left field corner and, with pinch runner Samantha Hernandez on, Highlanders catcher Chelsey Holley blooped a two-out, run-scoring single in between Heyward at third and Mustang freshman shortstop Chelsea Convissar.

With the game deadlocked at 1-1, neither side moved a baserunner past second until the top of the fifth, when Ceccacci belted just the second home run of her 167-game career over the right field wall.

Once again staring at a one-run deficit, the Highlanders squared the matchup a second time in the bottom half of the fifth with Holley hitting a solo homer to left field.

Now knotted up with the Mustangs at 2-2, UC Riverside went on to produce the winning runs. With two down and center fielder Jenna Curtan on second after reaching through a fielder's choice, the Mustangs intentionally walked first baseman Rebecca Faulkner. The next Highlander, right fielder Karina Romero, grounded a ball that was misplayed by Convissar at shortstop. The error let one run score before Convissar threw wide of Mustang junior first baseman Breana West to allow a second UC Riverside run to cross.

Sanchez closed the four-run fifth inning by lining a bases-clearing double to center field to place the Highlanders up, 5-2.

In the sixth, Holley added her second homer of the day to complete the scoring.

Following Ceccacci's homer in the fifth, Cal Poly produced just one more hit the remainder of the game.

Ceccacci did, however, finish with her third three-hit game of 2015.

Despite striking out five Highlanders, Cal Poly righthander Sierra Hyland (17-21) suffered the loss.

During Friday's second game, UC Riverside led from the onset through a run-scoring single by Romero and a two-run base hit from Sanchez.

Cal Poly grabbed a run back in the top of the second as freshman center fielder Amanda Sandoval – with Mustangs at the corner bases – grounded a two-out pitch to Faulkner at first base. Faulkner misplayed the grounder and the resulting error scored Heyward for a 3-1 Mustang deficit.

UC Riverside, however, furthered its cushion to a four-run advantage in the bottom of the second with Romero singling into right field to plate Curtan and second baseman Haley Harris for the 5-1 lead.

The Highlanders continued to build on their lead into the third inning with three successive singles through the left side of the infield eventually scoring shortstop Kris DeAnda. Curtan then brought home Holley with a one-out infield hit to stretch UC Riverside's lead to 7-1.

UC Riverside added its eighth and final run in the fifth as pinch hitter Nicolette Lujan singled with two down to score Curtan.

Ceccacci added two of Cal Poly's three hits in the second game to raise her overall average to .277 and her mark in Big West play to a team-leading .361.

Cal Poly and UC Riverside will close the 2015 season with a 12 noon matchup on Saturday, May 9.