Report by LBSU

With nine games remaining in the regular season, the Long Beach State softball team (21-22, 5-7 BWC) is looking to make a late run in the Big West Conference standings, starting this weekend at UC Santa Barbara.

The 49ers and Gauchos kick off the series with a doubleheader on Saturday, May 1, before returning to the field for the finale on Sunday (May 2). First pitch for both days is slated for noon at UCSB’s Campus Diamond.

UC Santa Barbara has struggled this season as it enters the weekend with a 10-33 overall record and a 1-11 mark in conference play. Jessica Ziegler has paced the Gaucho offense with a .324 batting average, while Jessica Beristianos has registered a team-best 14 RBI. MeLinda Matsumoto leads the pitching staff with four wins, 45 strikeouts and a 4.58 ERA.

Long Beach State leads in its all-time series with UC Santa Barbara, 71-31. The 49ers dropped an early preseason contest to the Gauchos at the Campbell-Cartier Classic in San Diego last year before sweeping UCSB in Big West action. LBSU has won seven of the last 10 meetings between the two teams.