Big West Leading Mustangs Host UCSB for March 28-29 Series

Thursday, March 28

San Luis Obispo, CA

1 p.m.

UC Santa Barbara

Tickets

Photo by: Owen Roberts

Big West Leading Mustangs Host UCSB for March 28-29 Series

3/27/2024 12:00:00 PM | Softball

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Off to its best Big West start in 17 seasons, the Cal Poly softball program closes a six-game home stand at Bob Janssen Field when hosting UC Santa Barbara for a three-game, March 28-29 series. With action moved up a day due to impending rain in San Luis Obispo County, the series starts with a Thursday doubleheader before closing with a Friday single matchup. First pitch on ESPN+ both afternoons is 1 p.m. for Cal Poly (15-10, 5-1), which enters the series sharing first place atop the Big West standings with Cal State Fullerton (19-12, 5-1) and Long Beach State (10-22, 5-1). UC Santa Barbara (10-17, 4-2), meanwhile, sits just a game behind in the standings. Second among conference programs with a .295 team batting average, Cal Poly's 5-1 start to Big West play is its best since the 2007 Mustangs opened 8-0.

FOLLOW CAL POLY VERSUS UC RIVERSIDE: ESPN+ coverage and live stats for each series game with UC Santa Barbara will be available via GoPoly.com HERE.

CAL POLY VERSUS UC SANTA BARBARA: Swept at UC Santa Barbara last spring, Cal Poly seeks just its second series victory against the Gauchos since 2017 (the Mustangs captured two of three home matchups in 2022). The first and most frequent opponent in Cal Poly's program history, UC Santa Barbara initially faced the Mustangs on April 12, 1975, dropping a 16-9 decision. The all-time series is split, 75-75.

CLEMENTS REMAINS CAL POLY'S CATALYST: Cal Poly's leadoff batter in 96 of 115 career outings, junior center fielder Jessica Clements enters the UC Santa Barbara series as the second leading hitter in Division I with a .511 (45-for-88) batting average and 16th nationally with 44 hits. Also the Big West leader for on-base percentage (.557), triples (three) and total bases (64), ranked second in slugging percentage (.727) and doubles (seven), sixth in runs (19) and seventh for stolen bases (10), Clements has hit safely in 22 of 25 matchups this season with 17 multi-hit efforts (including six three-hit games). Averaging 1.8 hits per game, Clements has also struck out just four times in 99 plate appearances. Through 115 career games, Clements remains the top batter in program history with a .419 (168-for-401) career mark that doubles as the second best figure in Big West history. She also ranks 16th in Cal Poly history with 168 hits, remaining 69 shy of All-American Lisa Modglin's program record of 236 set from 2004-07.

RAMUNO ON THE RISE: Matching a career best with 10 strikeouts during Cal Poly's March 17 series finale against CSUN and equalizing it against UC Riverside (March 23), sophomore righthander Sophia Ramuno now leads all Big West pitchers with 77 strikeouts, third with a 2.60 ERA, a .229 opposing batting average and seven complete games and sixth in innings pitched (78.0). The March 18 Big West Pitcher of the Week honoree, Ramuno has conceded just five earned runs in her last 37.0 innings, most recently completing an eight-strikeout, four-hit, complete-game against UC Riverside (March 24). Ramuno also enjoyed eight strikeouts at CSUN (March 16).

DIAZ'S SUPERB SENIOR SEASON: Batting 126 points higher than her .254 career average entering the season, senior shortstop Xiara Diaz enters Cal Poly's March 28-29 series with UC Santa Barbara ranked fourth among conference players with a .380 (27-for-71) mark. Having reached base in all but three appearances, Diaz also sits sixth among Big West players with a .471 on-base percentage, ninth with 17 runs and 10th with 11 walks. She remains the only Mustang with a four-hit game this season after a 4-for-4 performance at CSUN (March 16). A starter in 115 successive games for Cal Poly, Diaz remains third in program history with 33 steals.

GOOD JUJU: Helping to provide Cal Poly three of the Big West's top 13 hitters is senior right fielder Juju Sargent, who has reached base in 24 of 26 matchups and takes a .333 (28-for-84) batting average into the March 28-29 series with UC Santa Barbara. Having hit safely 19 times, Sargent also sits seventh among Big West players with 18 runs scored and ninth with 28 hits and five doubles.

PEREZ'S CAREER YEAR: Owner of just 10 career hits entering her senior season, designated player and second baseman Mia Perez has produced 18 this year alone – and a career best .316 (15-for-57) batting average. One of five Mustang starters batting above .300, Perez has hit safely 12 times.

CAL POLY SELECTED SEVENTH IN BIG WEST POLL: Despite returning starters at all 10 positions and welcoming back all three All-Big West selections from 2023, Cal Poly was selected seventh in the conference preseason coaches' poll. The Mustangs received 31 total points in the poll – 15 behind sixth place Hawai'i. Cal State Fullerton – second in the Big West standings a season ago – was selected to capture the 2024 title with 77 points and six first-place votes. Defending champion Long Beach State was second in the poll, right behind the Titans on 75 points and with the remaining four first-place votes.

LOOKING AHEAD (APRIL 5-6): Cal Poly plays its only scheduled games outside of California and Pacific Time Zone when visiting for an April 5-6, three- game set. Opening the series with an 8 p.m. PT single game Friday evening and closing it with a 4 p.m. Saturday doubleheader, Cal Poly handed Hawai'i a sweep during its last visit to Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium in 2022.

ETC.: The Cal Poly program is in its 50th varsity season in 2024, 27th season as a Big West member and in its 20th year under head coach Jenny Condon … Cal Poly's 5-0 start to the year was its best since beginning the 2005 season 5-0 … Cal Poly's Big West-opening series sweep of CSUN (March 16-17) was its first to start conference play since 2013.