Irvine, CA—The Big West announced today that Chelsea Ponce is the conference Softball Pitcher of the Week for games played from March 30 through April 5. This is Ponce's third pitcher of the week honor this season.

View all-time UC Riverside Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week honorees.

The Norwalk, California native helped the Highlanders to a series win over defending champion Long Beach State over the weekend going 2-1 with a 1.40 ERA in the circle while holding the 49ers lineup to a collective .188 batting average. 

Ponce started and won the opening two games of the series, both by 3-2 scores, and finished the weekend allowing just seven runs (four earned) with 10 strikeouts in 20.0 innings of work.

In the opener, Ponce threw all 10 innings as the Highlanders outlasted the 49ers in a three and a half hour marathon. She scattered just six hits while striking out four.

Ponce went the distance for the second straight time in game two, surrendering five hits and two walks while fanning four.  She received the tough luck loss in the finale, pitching three innings of relief and allowing three unearned runs.

Ponce now has 134 strikeouts for the year, making her the program's single-season Division I record holder. She is also the Big West leader in wins (23) and ERA (1.14).