BOX SCORE

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Mollie Paulick launched a grand slam to center field to cap a five-run bottom of the seventh, but it wasn't enough as the Eastern Kentucky University softball team fell to the University of California, Riverside, 9-6, in the opening of the championship rounds of the National Invitational Softball Championship at Smith Field.

The Highlanders (37-22) notched the first hits of the game in the opening frame of the third stanza with a trio of singles to load the bases. A hit to right field from Amanda Lynch put the first run on the board as UCR went ahead 1-0.

Two more singles and a pair of walks plated three more and UC Riverside extended its advantage to four, 4-0.

Carly Robinson collected a hit for EKU (44-20) with a single just past second base in the bottom of the frame. Mattira Morales reached and Destinee Lizzmore laced one through the middle to juice the bases. Paige Murphy notched a sacrifice fly to right field to attempt to cut into the lead, 4-1.

UCR tacked another on in the fifth and piled it on in the seventh, icing it with a three-run shot pushing the lead, 9-1.

Eastern made things interesting in the final frame, putting together four hits in a row followed by a grand slam from Paulick to set the final score, 9-6.

The Colonels will take on the University of Texas at Arlington (30-27) in an elimination game at 1 p.m. ET tomorrow.