SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Softball team has canceled their non-conference game against Fresno State and will ultimately push their series with Cal Poly up a day. The Gauchos and Mustangs will now play on Thursday, March 28 and Friday, March 29 to beat the inclement weather forecasted for the weekend.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Santa Barbara won their second straight Big West series this past weekend taking two of three from UC San Diego. After dropping game one of the series to the Tritons, the Gauchos won the next two to earn their second consecutive Big West series win.
 
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GAUCHOS
The Gauchos won this series a little differently than the last. After producing 21 runs in their Big West opening weekend against Hawai'i, UC Santa Barbara scored 12 this past weekend. The Gaucho defense and pitching limited the Tritons to just eight runs over the three-game set.
 
Over the three-game series three Gaucho batters hit .500. Madelyn McNally, Ashley Donaldson and Erin Mendoza combined to go 12-for-24 with three RBI and four runs scored. Ainsley Waddell also had an impressive series hitting .444 and moving her overall batting average to .352.
 
In the circle, the Gauchos posted a 2.33 ERA with no pitcher recording an above 4.00 earned run average. Ava Bradford dazzled in her lone appearance on the weekend pitching three scoreless innings giving up three hits and striking out one. Malaya Johnson and Camryn Snyder each pitched a complete game and earned the win in the contest.
 
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS
Cal Poly comes into the contest 15-10 overall and 5-1 in Big West play. After sweeping CSUN on the opening weekend of conference play, the Mustangs dropped just one against UC Riverside last weekend. Each game against UC Riverside was decided by one run.
 
Offensively the Mustangs are led by Jessica Clements who is hitting .511 in 88 at-bats. Clements currently paces The Big West in batting average, OPS, on-base percentage and total bases. The junior has recorded 17 multi-hit games and went into last weekend against Riverside riding a nine-game hitting streak and has now reached base safely in 19 of the past 20 games.
 
In the circle, Cal Poly is led by Sophia Ramuno who currently posts a 5-5 record, 2.60 ERA and has thrown seven complete games. She has struck out 77 batters over her 78.0 innings and teams hit just .229 against her. The Mustangs also have two other pitchers that sport a sub 4.00 earned run average in Paige Maier (3.70) and Kate Judy (3.90).
 
FOLLOW ALONG
The Gauchos and Mustangs will play a doubleheader on Thursday, March 28 with the first pitch of game one set for 1 p.m. The Blue-Green Rivalry Series will conclude on Friday, March 29 with the game time set for 1 p.m. For those unable to make the trip all three games can be streamed through ESPN+ with live stats available.