Highlanders In Week 12

vs CSUN

Saturday, April 30-Double Header Game One-1 pm Game Two-3 pm

Sunday, May 1-Series Finale 1 pm Seniors Honored in Pre-game Ceremony

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Riverside—The UC Riverside Softball Team is hosting its final home series of the 2016 season against CSUN April 30-May 1. Sunday, the Highlanders honor seniors Erika Campbell, Courtnie Ploesch and Natalie Sanchez in a ceremony beginning at approximately 12:45 pm PT

UCR (31-14-1) went up to UC Davis and swept the Aggies last weekend for the team's second sweep in conference play this season (UCSB). In the Davis series, the Highlanders got two victories from ace Tayler Misfeldt, who had 11 strikeouts, a 1.50 era, and complete-game three-hit performances in the opener and the finale. 

Stephanie Tickemyer hit .571 over the weekend, and had a pair of multi-hit, two-RBI games as well as two extra base hits in the series. UCR continued to get strong play from its freshman Hannah Rodriguez and Anessa Cepeda. Rodriguez hit a homerun in each game of Saturday's double-header, and Cepeda tossed a complete- game, four-hit shutout in game two of the series.

Maddie Richard's .477 batting average leads the league and ranks 5th in the country. Her 33 stolen bases are second i the conference, just ahead of teammate Jenna Curtan, who is ranked third with 23. Curtan's 35 runs driven in are also third in the Big West, and her .373 batting average is fifth.

Tayler Misfeldt's 20 victories lead the conference, and place her in a tie for 14th nationally.

CSUN (27-20, 7-5) is fresh off a series victory at Cal Poly. The Matadors pitching staff had two shutouts and allowed just one run last weekend.

Daphne Pofek (14-6) finished the weekend 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA and a.197 opponent batting average in 20 innings of work. Taylor Troost (6-8, 3.37) could also see time in the circle; she has pitched 104 innings on the year.

The Matadors 36 homers lead the conference, as do the 20 bases they have swiped in Big West play. Savannah Horvath's 10 homeruns are a team high, and rank second in the league. Tayler Glover has driven in 29 runs on the year, and is hitting .458-12th best in the country. Karlie Habitz and Arian Wassmer have hit six long balls apiece this season for CSUN.  

Last season the Highlanders were swept at CSUN, 1-0, 10-6 and 7-6. UCR trails in the overall series 5-37. (view results)


GAME NOTES
AND THEY'RE OFF
The 2015 version of UC Riverside Softball went 39-17 giving the Highlanders their most victories since joining the Big West Conference prior to the 2002 season. They also went 11-10 in conference play, breaking the program record for Big West wins in a season. Last year's squad was 32-14 through 46 games and won seven of the final 10 games to finish fifth in the Big West.This season, the Highlanders are 31-14-1, 7-5 in conference through 46 games and currently in second place with nine games remaining.

MARK ROBERTS WOULD BE PROUD
The Highlanders won 11 straight games from February 26 through March 11 of this year which is the longest winning streak for the program since the team made the move to the Big West Conference in 2002.

RPI
In 2015, the Highlanders rose to as high as 63rd and finished the season ranked 70th out of 295 teams in RPI—the best showing for the program since the NCAA began keeping track of RPI for Division I softball teams. In this week's rankings UCR's RPI is 100.

SAVED!
Rebecca Faulkner led the nation in saves a year ago with 8, and this year her teammate Kaylynn Pierce is tied for 21st with 3. That ties Pierce for the second most saves for a member of the Highlanders since the team joined the Big West Conference.
 

Single-Season Saves Since 2002
Saves	Player	Year
8	Rebecca Faulkner	2015
3	Tayler Misfeldt	2015
3	Kaylynn Pierce	2016

 

Career Saves
Saves	Player	Years
8	Rebecca Faulkner	2015
4	Ashley Henderson	1991-92
3	Tayler Misfeldt	2015
3	Kaylynn Pierce	2016
3	Alicia Zinner	1991-92
3	Laura Fay	1987-90

CONNECTIONS
Last year's version of the Highlanders compiled a .284 batting average which is the highest average for the program since joining the Big West Conference. This season, UC Riverside is hitting .312, which is the 42nd highest average in the nation heading into the week.

DOUBLE DIGITS
The Highlanders haven't had two pitchers record double digit wins in the same season since joining the Big West Conference in 2002, but they might pull off that feat this season. Tayler Misfeldt is 20-10 on the year, and Kaylynn Pierce is 9-4.

CHASING TED WILLIAMS
Only eight times in the history of the UC Riverside Softball program have members of the Highlanders hit .400 or above, and that has occurred only two times since UC Riverside made the move to the Big West Conference in 2002. This season, Maddie Richard is hitting .477 through 46 games, and is looking to become the ninth member of the Highlander's .400 club.
 

Single-Season Batting Average (.400 or Above)
Avg	Player	Year
.544	Deanna Dresman	1990
.477	Maddie Richard	2016
.465	Mayra Juarez	1997
.445	Deanna Dresman	1991
.435	Melissa Sanchez	2006
.424	Marissa Alvidrez	2008
.422	Mayra Juarez	1998
.413	Cindy Taylor	1990
.406	Missy Laramie	1991

ACE OF (GETTING ON) BASE
Maddie Richard also boasts an on base percentage of .531 on the season, and could become the sixth member of the Highlanders to reach on more than 50 percent of her plate appearances in a single year.
 

Single-Season On Base Percentage (.500 or Above)
Avg	Player	Year
.583	Deanna Dresman	1990
.577	Melissa Sanchez	2006
.546	Mayra Juarez	1998
.533	Maddie Richard	2016
.528	Melissa Sanchez	2004
.517	Marissa Alvidrez	2008
.505	Dionne Anderson	2014

I'VE GOT THE POWER
Jenna Curtan has a .549 slugging percentage through 46 games, and could become the seventh member of the Highlanders to slug .600 or better in a single season.
 

Single-Season Slugging Percentage (.600 or Above)
Avg	Player	Year
.774	Melissa Sanchez	2006
.722	Marissa Alvidrez	2008
.699	Barrie Greer	1985
.696	Mayra Juarez	1998
.682	Kayla White	2013
.676	Mayra Juarez	1997
.602	Angela Melander	1983
.549	Jenna Curtan	2016