IRVINE, Calif. (Interstat) — Cal State Fullerton and UC San Diego meet Friday in the Big West Baseball Championship at a neutral site here, with the Tritons entering as the higher seed after a 24-27 regular season. The Titans (22-30) are the visiting team.

First pitch is scheduled for TBD. The weather forecast calls for clear skies with a temperature of [TBD] degrees.

The pitching matchup features two arms with contrasting recent results. UC San Diego’s Steele Murdock will start. The right-hander threw eight shutout innings in his last outing, a 1-0 loss at Cal Poly on Thursday, allowing zero hits and one unearned run while striking out 11. Murdock also faced Cal State Fullerton on May 14, allowing two earned runs on five hits over three innings in a 10-6 win. His season line includes a 4-2 record and a 2.18 ERA.

Cal State Fullerton is expected to counter with Bobby Mahoney. The right-hander threw four scoreless innings in a 7-4 loss at UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, scattering no hits with one strikeout. However, in his only previous start against UC San Diego this season, Mahoney allowed five earned runs on zero hits over 2 1/3 innings in a 10-9 loss on May 15. He has a 3-6 record and 5.40 ERA.

The teams split a three-game series at UC San Diego last week. The Tritons won 10-6 on May 14 and 10-9 in 10 innings on May 15. The Titans salvaged the finale with a 10-5 victory on May 16.

Cal State Fullerton enters having lost four of its last five. Aside from Mahoney’s relief appearance, second baseman Cameron Kim homered and drove in three runs in the loss at UC Santa Barbara. The Titans have dropped eight of their last 10 overall.

UC San Diego has lost two straight. In Thursday’s 1-0 loss at Cal Poly, Delshaun Lanier went 0-for-4 and J.C. Allen singled in four at-bats. The Tritons have won six of their last 10.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-2 UC San Diego victory.