Riverside–The UC Riverside Softball Team looks to move up the Big West standings this weekend, as they host Long Beach State in a three-game series beginning with a double header Saturday, May 6 at 1 pm PT. The series finale is slated for Sunday at 1 pm, as the Highlanders honor Breast Cancer Awareness with their annual "Pink Game."

UC Riverside is 6-9 in conference this year. That puts the Highlanders tied for sixth place, but just three games back of second place CSUN. The 49ers are 8-7 in the Big West this year, and tied for third place with UC Santa Barbara.

UCR dropped two of three last weekend at CSUN, but freshman pitcher Jacy Boles picked up her first career win on Saturday. The Roseville, California native pitched all seven innings in the team's, 9-2, victory in game two of the series (box score/recap).

The Highlanders boast the second highest scoring offense in the Big West at 4.72 runs per game. They also rank second in the league with a .363 on base percentage, thanks to a conference-leading 156 walks.

Jenna Curtan paced the UC Riverside offense with a .356 batting average that ranks fifth in the league, and a team-leading 27 RBIs. She has also raced around the bags for a Big West-leading four triples.

Maddy Richard carries a .339 average into weekend, and has 26 walks as well as 21 stolen bases. Both of those figures are second in the conference.

Hannah Rodriguez (.344) has 12 multi-hit games this year, and rounds out a trio of Highlanders batting over .300.

The team's usually reliable defense has struggled somewhat over the past six conference games, committing six errors, and dropping their fielding percentage to .962—fourth best in the Big West.

The Highlanders pitching staff has the fifth best ERA in the league at 3.53, thanks in part to its ability to prevent the long ball. UC Riverside has allowed just 15 home runs as a team—the second lowest figure in the Big West.

Tayler Misfeldt has been the team's workhorse in the circle all season, logging 113.0 innings so far in 2017. She also leads the team in wins (11), strikeouts (70), and batting average against (.286).

The junior needs four more wins to tie the program's career record of 40, set by Tracey Webber from 1984-87.

Long Beach State has lost five straight games, all in conference, after opening Big West play with an 8-2 mark. The 49ers have played just four true road games on the year, and are a perfect 4-0 in those games.

LBSU's offense has struggled this year with a slash line of .233/.310/.312. Against Big West foes, those numbers drop to .200/.267/.278.

Sammi Gyerman leads the Beach with a .306 batting average, but Nichole Fry is the team's most complete player with a team-high .376 on base percentage, and .421 slugging percentage.

Long Beach State brings a 3.73 ERA into the weekend. Christina Clermont is the team's top pitcher, with a 9-10 mark an 3.01 ERA in 135.0 innings. She is prone to walking batters, however, as she has issued 72 free passes on the year.

The Highlanders are 6-43 all-time against the 49ers (view results), but 3-3 over the past two years.