NORTHRIDGE – California State University, Northridge, returns home for the first time since March 24 when the Matadors host UC Riverside.

The three-game set gets underway on Saturday with a doubleheader that begins at 1:00 p.m. Sunday’s single game will get underway at 1:00 p.m. All three games will be available the CSUN Sports Network presented by Dignity Health. Saturday’s first game will be a video stream with games two and three being audio only. Brandon Marcus is on the call for all three games.

UC Riverside begins the week with a 21-15 overall mark and a 3-3 Big West record. The Highlanders defeated cross-town rival California Baptist 3-2 Wednesday night before coming to Northridge.

Danielle Ortega is fourth in the conference in hitting (.392), fifth in home runs (7), sixth in slugging (.616), sixth in hits (40), sixth in on-base percentage (.438), and ninth in runs scored (27). Jacy Boles begins the week fifth in the league in wins (10), and fifth in strikeouts (74).

This weekend’s series will mark the 107th, 108th, and 109th times that CSUN and UC Riverside will be playing softball. After taking 2-of-3 from the Highlanders last season, CSUN leads the all-time series 93-13.

The Matadors (18-21, 2-4 Big West) dropped two of three games at Cal State Fullerton last weekend. CSUN defeated the Titans 5-2 Friday night before losing 7-3 and 9-1 to Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. Megan Stevens was 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI during the tournament.

Stevens scored twice and posted a 1.800 slugging percentage during the series. Stevens’ home runs were her ninth and 10th of the season. Stevens leads the Big West in hitting (.468), RBI (43), doubles (16), total bases (102), hits (52), on-base percentage (.919), and slugging percentage (.569).