Baseball Hosts Long Beach State For Three-Game Easter Weekend Series

Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team returns home this week after playing seven straight away from the friendly confines of the Riverside Sports Complex. Long Beach State is the opponent in the three-game Easter Weekend series which is slated for Thursday (6 pm PT), Friday (6 pm) and Saturday (2 pm).

Saturday afternoon's game is a Highlander Hot Ticket day which features a pregame party in the right field picnic area brought to you by the Alumni Association and the UC Riverside Athletics Association.

Fans can receive a ticket to the game, a pregame meal catered by Outback Steakhouse, and beverages provided by Anheuser Busch and Pepsi all for just $10 for Athletics Association members, $15 for non-members, and $5 for children ages 12 and under.

Former UC Riverside outfielder and featured player in the Oscar nominated movie "Moneyball" Stephen Bishop will throw out the first pitch that day, and an egg hunt for children will take place in the outfield at the conclusion of the game.

The Highlanders dropped two of three at UC Santa Barbara to open conference play and have lost four of five over the past 10 days. They have been held to fewer than five runs in five straight and 10 of their last 13 games.

Eddie Young (.356/.437/.411) is the lone UC Riverside regular hitting above. 300, and the team's slash line is just .260/.270/.332.

UC Riverside's pitching has been keeping them in games, however, as they now boast an ERA of 3.73. The Highlanders will not deviate from their typical weekend rotation throwing lefty Dylan Stuart (3-3, 4.07) on Thursday, and right handers Eddie Orozco (4-2, 1.56) and Trevor Frank (0-4, 4.19) on Friday and Saturday respectively.

The 49ers opened conference play last weekend by taking two of three on the road from Cal Poly. Saturday afternoon starter, Shawn Stuart, was named Big West Pitcher of the Week this week for his one-hit, complete-game shut out of the Mustangs. It was the second win of the season for the right-hander who now boasts a 2.11 ERA.

Matt Anderson (2-1, 2.74) is Long Beach State's probable Thursday night starter, and Ryan Strufing (3-2, 2.50) will likely get the nod on Friday evening.

Pitching has been the 49ers strength halfway through the 2012 season as the squad boasts a 3.52 ERA on the season.

Their hitting has been another story, however, as LBSU's slash line on the year is .242/.331/.287. As a team, the Beach has just one home run on the season, and only two hitters with batting averages north of .280—Ino Patron (.330) and Richard Prigatano (.291).

Baseball Hosts Long Beach State For Three-Game Easter Weekend Series

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