UC Riverside already had its problems dealing with senior shortstop Jessica Beaver, junior third base Jennifer Griffin and the rest of the 49er defense. The Highlanders, however, never saw sophomore starting pitcher Bridgette Pagano coming from all sides. Pagano played a complete game Saturday evening at the 49er Softball Complex and struck out six hitters from the pitcher’s circle. But Pagano’s home run in the bottom of the fourth was the deciding factor in the 49ers’ 4-3 victory over the Highlanders in game two of a doubleheader. The sophomore improved to 13-8 on the season as LBSU (35-12, 11-3 Big West) clinched its sixth consecutive conference series matchup. Pagano’s home run scored senior left fielder Lacy Tyler to help the conference-leading 49ers respond to a two-run third inning by UCR (18-29, 4-10 Big West). The Highlanders’ Marissa Alvidrez hit a homer off Pagano to left field and drove in Veronica Yee to give UCR a 3-2 lead. Pagano also ended up closing the game for LBSU with two straight strikeouts following a putout by senior first base Jonae Perez off a Beaver assist. Beaver scored the 49ers’ first run of game two off an RBI double by senior catcher Brooke LeSage in the bottom of the first, while Tyler’s RBI single drove in LeSage to give The Beach a two-run first inning. Pagano, whose home run was her first this season and second in her LBSU career, said she wasn’t sure if her hit towards left field was going to be a homer or not. “I wasn’t sure if it was foul or not,” Pagano said. “It just went over. But our defense helped out a lot today.” Head coach Kim Sowder felt that Pagano has had the potential to be a dual threat and wanted her to be at bat more often. “[Pagano] has always been a good hitter,” Sowder said. But an equal concern to the second-year head coach was the defense, which struggled at times to keep the Highlanders off base. “For whatever reasons, we’ve had a little bit of sloppy defense,” Sowder said. “Someone found a way at the end.” Sowder spoke highly of the game-changing double play by Tyler with bases loaded at the top of the fifth inning. Tyler caught a fly ball by UCR’s Taylor Thomas and assisted a putout at second by sophomore second base Ashley Levine. LBSU will return to the 49er Softball Complex Sunday afternoon for a third and final game against the Highlanders. Game starts at 1 p.m.
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