Softball Looks For Consecutive Series Wins Beginning Saturday At The Beach

Long Beach, CA—The UC Riverside softball team looks to win its second league series of the season as Long Beach State is next up on the radar in Big West Conference action. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1:00 pm, and concludes on Sunday with a single game at 1:00 pm.

UC Riverside won two of three games at Cal State Fullerton over the weekend, putting a stop to its seven-game losing streak. Jessica Vasser was named Big West Conference Softball Player of the Week for her efforts in the Highlanders series victory.

Long Beach State is 8-4 in conference play and is one of four teams grabbing a share of the Big West lead. The 49ers earned series victories from each of their last three opponents, and have won 31 of 34 games against the Highlanders since 2002.

Highlanders at Long Beach State Game Capsules

UC Riverside

Long Beach State

2012
Stats,
Record

20-24, 3-9

20-22, 8-4

Schedule

Roster

Conference

Big West

Current Streak

L 1

W 1

Last Box
Score

L, 5-4 at
Cal State Fullerton

W, 9-4 vs
Cal State Northridge

Next
Opponent

5/5 vs
Cal State Northridge

5/5 vs
Cal State Fullerton

Top
Hitter

Alexis
Pickett
Junior
.356 BA

Cya
Neal
Junior
.346

Top
Pitcher

Jordyn
McDonald
Senior
3.85 ERA

Erin
Jones-Wesley
Sophomore
2.21 ERA

D1 Record
Against

3-31
Results

D1 Current
Streak Against

W 1

Projected Highlanders Lineup
(By Position)
Pos	#	Name	Yr	B/T	Avg	OBP	SLG	H	RBI
C	6	Alexis Pickett	Jr.	L/R	.356	.425	.441	42	21
1B	13	Jessica Vasser	Jr.	L/L	.308	.469	.449	33	19
2B	11	Alaina Thomas	Jr.	L/R	.127	.186	.164	7	2
3B	9	Brittany Keeney	Sr.	R/R	.294	.350	.421	37	13
SS	8	Yesenia Duenas	Fr.	R/R	.278	.388	.292	20	8
RF	19	Dionne Anderson	So.	L/R	.266	.326	.379	33	17
CF	4	Kayla White	Jr.	R/R	.341	.400	.594	47	34
LF	7	Ariel Shore	Jr.	L/R	.303	.352	.364	40	13
DP	1	Halle Luna	Fr.	L/R	.294	.333	.294	10	3

GAME NOTES
RPI
UCR has an RPI of 176 heading into this weekend's series at Long Beach State. The RPI is the highest since the 2009 season, and should they maintain that, it would be the third-highest overall in the last 10 seasons. The Highlanders best RPI was during that '09 year when it reached 154.

BATTER UP
UCR is batting .283 as a team this year, and should they maintain that, it would be the highest single-season average in the team's Division I history. The 2011 squad currently owns the record with a .276 batting average.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
The Highlanders have stolen 66 bases so far in 2012, three more than the program's DI record of 63 set last season. The team still has a ways to go before reaching the Big West's record of 131 set by New Mexico State in 1996.

WRONG WAY STREAK REVERSED
UCR lost eight of its first nine games in league play this season before winning two of three against Cal State Fullerton. The series win against the Titans was just the second in the program's Division I history.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
The Highlanders won 13 games last season, but have already won 20 games in 2012.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD
UCR is 20-24 in 2012, and should they maintain that winning percentage, it would be the highest in the program's Division I history.

Best Winning Percentage (UCR DI)
2012	.454
2006	.449
2010	.407

YEAR OF THE PITCHER
Jordyn McDonald is 9-13 in the pitchers circle this season for the Highlanders, while Taylor Alvarez boasts a 7-5 record. The nine wins by McDonald are tied for the fourth most wins in UCR's Division I single-season history, while Alvarez's seven wins are tied for sixth. Marissa Alvidrez currently owns the record with 15 wins set during the 2010 season.

OFF THE CHARTS
UC Riverside's 16 runs against Eastern Kentucky on March 7 are the most in the Division I history of the program for a single-game total. The previous high was 15, set at Utah State on May 3, 2003.

HOME RUN QUEENS
The Highlanders hit three home runs in each game of their doubleheader on March 7, and against Cal State Fullerton on April 22. The three homers are tied for third in a single-game in UCR D-I history.

UC Riverside also had 14 home runs in 32 non-league games in 2012, compared to just two homers in the team's 25 non-conference games a year ago.

CONFERENCE DIVAS
The Highlanders are ranked among the top-three in the Big West Conference in nearly all statistical categories, and lead the league in triples, stolen bases and steal attempts. On the national scene, UC Riverside is ranked seventh in doubles plays turned per game, 30th in triples per game, 35th in stolen bases per game, and 84th in batting average.

UC Riverside Individual National Rankings (thru 4/22)
Kayla White	Triples	4.0	17th
Jessica Vasser	Walks	0.72	39th

SHOWING NO MERCY
UCR has eight-run, mercy-ruled five opponents so far in 2012—UIC on Feb. 24, South Dakota on Feb. 26, Portland State on Mar. 4, Eastern Kentucky on Mar. 7, and UC Davis on Apr. 1. It is the most since the 2007 squad also mercy ruled five opponents.

ALL-BIG WEST
The UC Riverside softball team placed three players on the 2011 All-Big West Team. Kayla White was named to the first team—just the third Highlanders player in the program's Division I history to gain a spot on the league's top squad—while Kameryn Hebenton and Brittany Keeney were named to the All-Big West Second Team.

COACHING CHANGES
UC Riverside will have two new faces in the dugout this season, as Michell Vlahos joins the Highlanders as an assistant coach, and former player Kameryn Hebenton joins the staff as a volunteer coach.

Softball Looks For Consecutive Series Wins Beginning Saturday At The Beach

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