SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- The Pacific softball team travels south this weekend to face-off against Cal Poly and Nevada as the team competes in the Mustang Classic.
 
In a hard-fought contest against UCF last Tuesday at Bill Simoni Field, the Tigers were led by Amiyah Aponte, who made her sixth relief appearance of the season. The sophomore from Riverside, Calif., has only allowed five hits in the last 13.0 innings and has lowered her earned-run average to 3.97. Aponte has shined in her past two outings in the circle, giving up just one hit and not allowing a run in four innings pitched.
 
Carly Lucchetti and Rian Dirmeyer continue to bring the offense for the Tigers, leading the team in batting average and combining for 43 hits, 17 runs, and 19 RBI. The duo is also at the top of multiple statistical categories in the West Coast Conference as Lucchetti leads the conference with a .426 batting average. At the same time, Dirmeyer is tied for third in home runs with four.
 
Emily Budelli leads the conference in stolen bases with 10 and is the lone freshman on the team to bat over .300 this season. The freshman from Gilroy, Calif., has recorded a .339 batting average through 20 games this season and is second on the team with 21 hits.
 
Pacific opens the Mustang Classic against a much-improved Cal Poly squad that has won three-straight games. The Mustangs, entering the weekend with an overall record of 3-13, have outscored their opponents 22-2 in the past three games.
 
Since the 2006 season, the Mustangs have held the upper hand in the all-time series, earning 18 wins in the last 32 games. The Tigers, however, earned a two-game split during the 2021 season and have eight wins over the Mustangs since the 2012 season.
 
The Tigers will also face off against Nevada this weekend, who has not played a game since earning two wins at the Libby Matson Tournament. The Wolfpack defeated the Tigers at Bill Simoni Field, 9-3, on March 5 and are led by Jessica Sellers. Sellers has accounted for 21 hits this season through 20 games, leads the team in runs-batted-in with 14, and has accumulated a .550 slugging percentage.