UC Santa Barbara (34-16) vs. UC Riverside (15-31)

Site: Caesar Uyesaka Stadium, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Time: 6 p.m. Thursday

Weather: 60 degrees, cloudy

Series: First of three games

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Interstat) — UC Santa Barbara looks to build on its impressive Big West standing when it opens a three-game series against UC Riverside on Thursday evening at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.

The Gauchos (34-16) enter the game in control of their postseason hopes, having won nine of their past 11 games. Their most recent outing was a 8-3 loss to California Baptist on Monday, but the team has been dominant away from home, taking two of three at Cal State Northridge last weekend and sweeping a three-game series at Cal State Bakersfield before that.

UC Riverside (15-31) is coming off a rare bright spot, a 5-3 win over UC Irvine on Sunday that snapped a seven-game losing streak. That victory was only the Highlanders’ second in their past 14 games, and their record away from home has been a source of struggle.

The pitching matchup features two relievers who could be called upon early in a potential bullpen game.

For UC Riverside, right-hander Joshua Martinez (0-1, 7.11 ERA) has been a mix of sharp and shaky. He earned the win in Sunday’s victory over UC Irvine with 5 1/3 innings of three-run ball, striking out three. However, in his prior three appearances, Martinez allowed 10 earned runs over four innings against Cal State Bakersfield and California Baptist. He also threw two scoreless innings at Long Beach State on April 19 and a scoreless frame at Loyola Marymount two days later.

UC Santa Barbara counters with right-hander Chase Hoover (2-0, 1.56 ERA), who has been one of the Gauchos’ most reliable arms. Hoover has not allowed an earned run in four of his past five outings, spanning 11 innings. He threw 4 1/3 hitless innings at Cal State Northridge on May 8, striking out three. In his last appearance Monday against California Baptist, he worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and no runs with three strikeouts.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-4 win for UC Santa Barbara.

The two teams are scheduled to meet again Friday and Saturday to conclude the series.