Saturday, February 8
Tempe, AZ
9:00 am
UC Riverside
vs
New Mexico
Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta
Softball Opens Season At Kajikawa Classic; Faces ASU, W. Mich., Fresno St. & New Mexico
2/6/2014 10:49:00 AM | Softball
Tempe, Arizona—The UC Riverside Softball Team opens the 2014 season with four games from February 8-9 at the Arizona State Kajikawa Classic.
The Highlanders first face off against New Mexico on Saturday at 9 am PT followed by an 11:30 am match against Fresno State. On Sunday, UCR competes against Western Michigan at 8 am before concluding the weekend against host and nationally ranked #7 Arizona State at 1 pm.
The Highlanders are guided by second-year Head Coach Linda Garza, and return eight letter winners from a year ago. In case you missed it, watch Coach Garza preview the 2014 season.
GAME NOTES
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
The Highlanders stole 90 bases last season, setting the program Division I record in the process. UCR ended the season ranked 28th in the nation in stolen bases per game, with graduated senior Ariel Shore ranking 58th individually in that category, and Dionne Anderson ranking 77th.
STOP, THIEF!
UCR stole nine bases against Southern Utah on March 11, 2013, setting the program's Division I record for most stolen bases in a single game. Anderson added her name to the UCR record books as she stole four bases that game—the most in a single game in the program's DI history.
V FOR VICTORY
UC Riverside took its first conference series of the 2013 season winning two of three games against Cal Poly on April 25-26. Two years ago, the Highlanders won three league series against Cal State Northridge, Cal Poly, and Cal State Fullerton.
WRONG WAY STREAK
UCR's 10-game losing streak from March 17 - April 6 of last season was the longest since a 10-game drought to end the 2010 season.
TERESTRIAL LOCOMOTION
Nine of UC Riverside's 2013 opponents scored 10 or more runs, which is four more than the 2012 total, and the most in the team's Division I history.
THE END OF AN ERA
UCR's pitching corps had a 5.04 ERA last season, making it the third-highest ERA in program DI history (5.60, 2011; 5.07, 2003).
APOLLO 11
The Highlanders scored 11 runs in a 14-11 loss to Long Beach State on March 29, 2013—the most runs scored in a loss since since a 13-11 defeat by Boise State on February 25, 2011.
DOUBLEMINT GUM
UCR opponents scored 10 or more runs on back-to-back occasions twice last season: Hawai'i scored 16 and 12 runs respectively on April 5 and 6, while Long Beach State scored 14 and 10 runs in a doubleheader on March 29. This marked the first time since February 25 and 27, 2011 when Boise State and UNLV garnered 13 and 10 runs respectively.
NOT SO SWEET SIXTEEN
Hawai'i scored 16 runs against UC Riverside on April 5, 2013—the most allowed since UC Davis plated 17 on April 30, 2011.
GONE STREAKING
UC Riverside's six-game winning streak from March 10-13, 2013 is the longest streak in the program's Division I history. The previous high was five, set on multiple occasions most recently during the 2012 season.
WALK THIS WAY
Ashley Ercolano hit a three-run walk-off home run for UCR in its win against Weber State on February 23, 2013. Prior to Ercolano's shot, the last Highlanders player to record a walk-off homer was Kaylie Atkinson, who drilled a shot against Idaho State on Feb. 25, 2012.
ERROR MESSAGE
UC Riverside committed five errors in its loss against Fresno State on Feb. 8, 2013, the most since April 16, 2011 when the Highlanders recorded six errors.
BREAKING RECORDS
UCR finished the 2012 season with a 25-28 overall record, setting a new program Division I mark for most wins in a season and for best winning percentage.
SHOWING NO MERCY
UCR won six games in 2012 by the eight-run mercy-rule—the most times in the program's DI history. Last season, they won four games by the mercy rule, but were mercy ruled 10 times by opponents.
ALL-BIG WEST
UC Riverside placed one player on the Big West All-Conference Team last season, with outfielder Kayla White garnering her third-career All-Big West First-Team award. White led the Big West Conference in batting average and triples while ranking second in slugging percentage, hits, and total bases, fourth in stolen bases, fifth in home runs, seventh in runs, and ninth in on base percentage. In league games only, she led the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, hits, total bases, and stolen bases. On the national scale, White ended the season ranked 18th in triples, 38th in triples per game, 88th in slugging percentage, 96th in batting average, and 143rd in home runs.
The Highlanders first face off against New Mexico on Saturday at 9 am PT followed by an 11:30 am match against Fresno State. On Sunday, UCR competes against Western Michigan at 8 am before concluding the weekend against host and nationally ranked #7 Arizona State at 1 pm.
The Highlanders are guided by second-year Head Coach Linda Garza, and return eight letter winners from a year ago. In case you missed it, watch Coach Garza preview the 2014 season.
| Highlanders at Kajikawa Classic Game Capsules | |||||
|
UC Riverside |
New Mexico |
Fresno State |
Western Michigan |
#7 Arizona State |
|
| 2013 Record & Stats | 20-35, 4-20 | 21-35, 3-15 | 30-24, 11-7 | 16-33, 7-13 | 50-12, 16-8 |
| 2014 Record & Stats | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Roster | Roster | Roster | Roster | Roster | |
| Schedule | Schedule | Schedule | Schedule | Schedule | |
| Conference | Big West | Mountain West | Mountain West | Mid-American | Pac-12 |
| Current Streak | W 1 | L 6 | L 2 | W 1 | L 2 |
| Most Recent Box Score | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Next Opponent |
Feb. 14 vs. Bakersfield |
Feb. 14 vs. Georgia Tech |
Feb. 14 vs. Sacramento State |
Feb. 21 vs. Dayton |
Feb. 13 vs. Tennessee St. |
|
Top Returning Hitter (2013 stats) |
 Senior .300 avg. |
 Anaya Senior .367 avg. |
 Martin Senior .320 avg. |
 Palmer Sophomore .333 avg. |
 Wigness Senior .376 avg. |
|
Top Returning Pitcher (2013 stats) |
 Junior 4.52 ERA 9-15 Record |
 Soles Sophomore 3.23 ERA 9-15 Record |
 Harris Sophomore 2.37 ERA 9-8 Record |
 Kus Sophomore 4.32 ERA 3-10 Record |
 Popescue Senior 1.94 ERA 19-6 Record |
| DI Record vs. |
0-3 View Results |
0-9 View Results |
0-0 |
0-4 View Results |
|
| DI Current Streak vs. | L 3 | L 9 | First Meeting | L 4 | |
GAME NOTES
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
The Highlanders stole 90 bases last season, setting the program Division I record in the process. UCR ended the season ranked 28th in the nation in stolen bases per game, with graduated senior Ariel Shore ranking 58th individually in that category, and Dionne Anderson ranking 77th.
STOP, THIEF!
UCR stole nine bases against Southern Utah on March 11, 2013, setting the program's Division I record for most stolen bases in a single game. Anderson added her name to the UCR record books as she stole four bases that game—the most in a single game in the program's DI history.
V FOR VICTORY
UC Riverside took its first conference series of the 2013 season winning two of three games against Cal Poly on April 25-26. Two years ago, the Highlanders won three league series against Cal State Northridge, Cal Poly, and Cal State Fullerton.
WRONG WAY STREAK
UCR's 10-game losing streak from March 17 - April 6 of last season was the longest since a 10-game drought to end the 2010 season.
TERESTRIAL LOCOMOTION
Nine of UC Riverside's 2013 opponents scored 10 or more runs, which is four more than the 2012 total, and the most in the team's Division I history.
THE END OF AN ERA
UCR's pitching corps had a 5.04 ERA last season, making it the third-highest ERA in program DI history (5.60, 2011; 5.07, 2003).
APOLLO 11
The Highlanders scored 11 runs in a 14-11 loss to Long Beach State on March 29, 2013—the most runs scored in a loss since since a 13-11 defeat by Boise State on February 25, 2011.
DOUBLEMINT GUM
UCR opponents scored 10 or more runs on back-to-back occasions twice last season: Hawai'i scored 16 and 12 runs respectively on April 5 and 6, while Long Beach State scored 14 and 10 runs in a doubleheader on March 29. This marked the first time since February 25 and 27, 2011 when Boise State and UNLV garnered 13 and 10 runs respectively.
NOT SO SWEET SIXTEEN
Hawai'i scored 16 runs against UC Riverside on April 5, 2013—the most allowed since UC Davis plated 17 on April 30, 2011.
GONE STREAKING
UC Riverside's six-game winning streak from March 10-13, 2013 is the longest streak in the program's Division I history. The previous high was five, set on multiple occasions most recently during the 2012 season.
WALK THIS WAY
Ashley Ercolano hit a three-run walk-off home run for UCR in its win against Weber State on February 23, 2013. Prior to Ercolano's shot, the last Highlanders player to record a walk-off homer was Kaylie Atkinson, who drilled a shot against Idaho State on Feb. 25, 2012.
ERROR MESSAGE
UC Riverside committed five errors in its loss against Fresno State on Feb. 8, 2013, the most since April 16, 2011 when the Highlanders recorded six errors.
BREAKING RECORDS
UCR finished the 2012 season with a 25-28 overall record, setting a new program Division I mark for most wins in a season and for best winning percentage.
| Best Winning Pct. (DI) | |
| .472 | 2012 |
| .449 | 2006 |
| .407 | 2010 |
| Most Wins (DI) | |
| 25 x | 2012 |
| 22 | 2006 |
| 22 | 2010 |
SHOWING NO MERCY
UCR won six games in 2012 by the eight-run mercy-rule—the most times in the program's DI history. Last season, they won four games by the mercy rule, but were mercy ruled 10 times by opponents.
ALL-BIG WEST
UC Riverside placed one player on the Big West All-Conference Team last season, with outfielder Kayla White garnering her third-career All-Big West First-Team award. White led the Big West Conference in batting average and triples while ranking second in slugging percentage, hits, and total bases, fourth in stolen bases, fifth in home runs, seventh in runs, and ninth in on base percentage. In league games only, she led the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, hits, total bases, and stolen bases. On the national scale, White ended the season ranked 18th in triples, 38th in triples per game, 88th in slugging percentage, 96th in batting average, and 143rd in home runs.
Day in the Life: Leilani Juan
Monday, May 04
UCR Student-Athletes cheer on our students.
Friday, May 01
UCR Athletics Director Introductory Full Press Conference
Tuesday, March 24
Athletics Director Greg Paules Introductory Presentation Recap
Tuesday, March 24
