BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Interstat) — UC San Diego visits Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday evening at Hardt Field in a Big West matchup, with first pitch set under clear skies and 81-degree heat.

The Tritons (21-24 overall) take a 1-1 series split into the finale after winning 4-2 on Friday and falling 0-0 on Saturday. Cal State Bakersfield (20-28) seeks its first win in the three-game set.

UC San Diego right-hander Steele Murdock is a key figure after tossing 4.0 scoreless innings of relief in Friday’s win, striking out nine without allowing a hit. Over his past two outings, Murdock has fanned 18 batters in 11.0 innings while permitting one earned run. His season includes an 11-9 victory over UC Irvine on April 24, though he surrendered eight runs in 4.0 innings in that start.

For the Roadrunners, left-hander Ethan Myers also shined Friday, working 4.1 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief with five strikeouts. However, Myers has struggled in three of his past four appearances, including an 18-1 loss to UC Santa Barbara on May 1, when he allowed two earned runs in 3.0 innings.

UC San Diego enters having won two of its last three, including an 8-4 win over San Diego State on Tuesday. The Tritons dropped three of four at Long Beach State the previous weekend.

Cal State Bakersfield has lost eight of nine, with the lone win a 6-2 victory over Fresno State on Tuesday. The Roadrunners were swept in a four-game series by UC Santa Barbara from May 1-3, allowing 45 runs.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-4 UC San Diego win.

UC San Diego opens a three-game home series against Cal State Fullerton on Thursday. Cal State Bakersfield hosts Pacific on Tuesday before a three-game series at UC Irvine starting Thursday.