Big West Baseball: Composite Schedule || Standings || Stats 

Friday, April 8
Cal State Fullerton at Michigan, 1 p.m.
CSU Bakersfield at UC Davis, 2:30 p.m. E+ 
UC Santa Barbara at CSUN, 3 p.m. E+ 
Long Beach State at Cal Poly, 6 p.m. E+ 
UC Irvine at UC San Diego, 6:30 p.m. E+ 
UC Riverside at Hawai’i, 8:35 p.m.

Saturday, April 9
Cal State Fullerton at Michigan, 11 a.m.
CSU Bakersfield at UC Davis, 1 p.m. E+ 
UC Irvine at UC San Diego, 2 p.m. E+ 
UC Santa Barbara at CSUN, 2 p.m. E+ 
Long Beach State at Cal Poly, 4 p.m. E+ 
UC Riverside at Hawai’i, 8:35 p.m.

Sunday, April 10
Cal State Fullerton at Michigan, 10 a.m.
Long Beach State at Cal Poly, 1 p.m. E+ 
UC Irvine at UC San Diego, 1 p.m. E+ 
UC Santa Barbara at CSUN, 1 p.m. E+ 
CSU Bakersfield at UC Davis, 1 p.m. E+ 
UC Riverside at Hawai’i, 3:05 p.m.

Tuesday, April 12
USC at CSUN, 3 p.m. E+ 
Cal Baptist at Long Beach State, 6 p.m. E+ 
Loyola Marymount at UC Irvine, 6 p.m. E+ 
UC Davis at Pacific, 6 p.m.

All times Pacific, and subject to change; 
E+ - Streamed on ESPN PLUS

Friday, April 1
Hawai’i 4, at UC Santa Barbara 8
CSUN 7, at UC Irvine 5 (14 inn.)
Dixie State 3, at Cal Poly 12
UC Davis 8, at UC Riverside 10
UC San Diego 7, at Long Beach State 6
Cal State Fullerton 6, at CSU Bakersfield 7 (11 inn.)

Saturday, April 2
Dixie State 4, at Cal Poly 6
UC San Diego 7, at Long Beach State 4
Hawai’i 3, at UC Santa Barbara 8
Dixie State 0, at Cal Poly 9
UC Davis 12, at UC Riverside 13
CSUN 8, at UC Irvine 6 (12 inn.)
Cal State Fullerton 3, at CSU Bakersfield 5

Sunday, April 3
Dixie State 3, at Cal Poly 5
UC Davis 12, at UC Riverside 8
CSUN 5, at UC Irvine 6
Hawai’i 13, at UC Santa Barbara 9 (13 inn.)
UC San Diego 0, at Long Beach State 4
Cal State Fullerton 10, at CSU Bakersfield 7

Monday, April 4
Hawai’i 9, at USC 7

Tuesday, April 5
UC Riverside 1, at UNLV 12
UC Santa Barbara 1, at Pepperdine 9
Cal Poly 3, at California 9
CSU Bakersfield 11, at California Baptist 13
San Diego 13, at UC San Diego 4
Long Beach State 1, at San Diego State 5
Cal State Fullerton 1, at UC Irvine 6

Big West wins in BOLD

What 2 Watch 4
The Big West co-leader Cal Poly, a winner of 11 of its last 13, welcomes Long Beach State in to Baggett Stadium for a key series. CSU Bakersfield, which shares the top spot in the standings with the Mustangs, is at UC Davis. Third-place UC Santa Barbara travels to CSUN, and fourth-place UC Irvine makes the short trip down to La Jolla to face UC San Diego. All 12 of those games are scheduled to be aired on ESPN+.

Hawai’i and UC Riverside meet at Les Murakami Stadium on O’ahu. Cal State Fullerton is the team out of conference play this week, as the Titans head east to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a marquee matchup against the Big Ten’s Michigan Wolverines (14-14), the national runners-up from 2019. Those three contests will be broadcast on B1G+. Four teams are then in non-conference midweek action on Tuesday, April 12.

Poll Chatter
Cal Poly used its run of 11 wins over its last 12 to move back into the Collegiate Baseball national poll for the first time since December’s preseason edition, all the way up to No. 17. UC Santa Barbara dropped three spots to No. 24. The Mustangs and Gauchos are both receiving votes outside of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) top 30. UCSB is also still getting a vote beyond USA Today’s top 25.

Pair of Big West Tilts Announced for ESPNU
On Wednesday, Feb. 16, The Big West announced two baseball telecasts on ESPNU this spring which feature the top three teams in the preseason coaches’ poll. Defending conference champion UC Irvine will play at preseason favorite Long Beach State at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday, May 1. Then on May 6, UC Irvine hosts UC Santa Barbara under Friday night lights in a 7 p.m. PT showdown at Cicerone Field. The Anteaters and Gauchos represented The Big West in the NCAA postseason in 2021. Games aired on ESPN networks are available on the ESPN App, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription through an authenticated provider.

Statistical Superlatives
Through games played on April 5, Cal Poly tops The Big West in batting (.284), UC Santa Barbara in pitching (3.43), and Hawai’i in fielding (.974). The Gauchos’ team ERA is 12th nationally, and they also pace the league with 31 home runs.

Mustang shortstop Brooks Lee leads The Big West in several offensive categories, including batting (.430), slugging (.754), on-base percentage (.528), OPS (1.282), hits (49), RBI (35), doubles (17) and walks (26). A school-record 13 of those bases on balls are of the intentional variety. He is tied with two others for first in the country in doubles. Gabe Gonzalez of CSUN has a league-best eight home runs, followed by CSU Bakersfield’s Andrew Allanson and UC Santa Barbara’s Broc Mortensen at seven apiece. Other offensive category leaders include Cal Poly’s Ryan Stafford in runs (26) and at-bats (121) and UCSB’s Jordan Sprinkle in steals (15).

UC Irvine reliever Gordon Ingrebitson is now tops among qualifiers with his 1.34 ERA, also first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.67), and second in opposing batting average (.164). He maintains the third-best WHIP (0.65) in Division I and is sixth in walks allowed per nine innings (0.80). Benji Caggianelli of CSU Bakersfield is first in the league in opposing batting average (.153) and second in ERA (1.67), with UC Santa Barbara ace Cory Lewis third in each category (1.82 ERA and .169). Cal Poly’s Drew Thorpe, who is fourth in both (2.19 ERA and .172), paces the conference by 21 over Lewis with his 75 strikeouts, which ranks second in the nation by one. The right-hander is first in the conference in innings (49.1) and second in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.82). Thorpe is 19th in Division I in strikeouts per nine innings (13.68). Lewis’ five winning decisions (5-0) are the most in The Big West and tied for 13th nationally. UC Santa Barbara closer Ryan Harvey has eight saves, which is tied for sixth in the country.

National Recognition for Cal Poly Pair
Two Cal Poly Mustangs have recently picked up national distinction for standout performances, with redshirt sophomore right-hander Drew Thorpe (3/28) and junior Collin Villegas (4/4) named among Collegiate Baseball National Players of the Week. Thorpe, also selected by the NCBWA as the Dick Howser Trophy National Pitcher of the Week (March 29), was honored for his 15-strikeout effort at UC San Diego (3/25). He scattered three hits over seven innings while combining on a 7-0 shutout. The strikeout total was a new career high, matched the program’s Division I-era standard, and is tied with six others for the fifth-best single-game output around the country this season. Villegas, meanwhile, batted .529 (9-for-17) with five doubles, a triple, six runs, 10 RBI and five walks during Cal Poly’s first 5-0 week in eight years.

Rare Feat by CSU Bakersfield’s Allanson
Andrew Allanson belted two grand slams, one from each side of the plate with the latter sailing over the scoreboard in left field in the ninth, in CSU Bakersfield’s narrow 10-9 home loss to Pepperdine on Tuesday night, March 22. The redshirt freshman designated hitter became the first Roadrunner to ever hit two grand slams in a contest, with his eight RBI breaking the single-game program record and serving as the most in The Big West this season.

Big West History
The Big West has sent at least one team to the College World Series in 21 seasons, including a stretch of eight consecutive years from 1988-95 and four in a row from 2014-17. Four current members have represented the Big West at the CWS - Cal State Fullerton (1975, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2017), Long Beach State (1989, 1991, 1993, 1998), UC Irvine (2007, 2014) and UC Santa Barbara (2016). In 2007, CSF and UCI played in the longest game in CWS history - a five-hour and 40-minute marathon that lasted 13 innings and ended in a 5-4 Anteater victory. The Big West has won two national titles, both by the Titans, in 1995 and 2004.

 Last Week, Today
- The third week of The Big West action saw zero sweeps, but featured a first series win of the conference slate for UC San Diego at Long Beach State, and another road success by CSUN at UC Irvine through a pair of two-run, extra-inning triumphs. CSU Bakersfield, UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara took home sets over Cal State Fullerton, UC Davis and Hawai’i, respectively. There was also ample free baseball, as four of the 15 Big West contests went 11 or more frames. Cal Poly swept its non-conference four-gamer at home with Dixie State.

- UC San Diego got a three-run home run from senior Michael Fuhrman to break a 4-4 tie in the seventh and survived a two-run, opposite-field, pinch-hit blast in the eighth by Chris Jimenez and a jam in Friday’s final frame. Izaak Martinez punched out three around a leadoff single and one-out hit-by-pitch, getting a called third strike to end it. Another three-run shot, this one in the second from Noah Sudyka at the bottom of the order, put the Tritons on their way to a 7-4 triumph Saturday that clinched the series in their first-ever trip to Blair Field. Zach Voelker and Matt Fields combined on a two-hit shutout as the hosts salvaged the Sunday finale, 4-0.

- In the first to finish of a pair of lengthy affairs on Friday night, CSU Bakersfield loaded the bases in the 11th with no outs and walked off against Cal State Fullerton, 7-6, on an AJ Miller single to remain perfect in conference play at 4-0. The Roadrunners had tied the contest with five in the eighth. They then pushed across three in the seventh to overturn a 3-2 deficit and clinch a second straight Big West series victory on Saturday night. The Titans finally pinned the ‘Runners with their first league defeat Sunday by scoring the last four runs of a 10-7 decision.

- CSUN outlasted the ‘Eaters in Irvine late Friday night, getting two in the 14th off a throwing error on a bunt following back-to-back singles to begin the frame, and a sacrifice fly. UCI had used a leadoff Justin Torres double to tie the game at 4-4 in the eighth, and each side scratched across a run in the 11th to extend the contest further. The home side was looking good to walk off in 12 as it put its first two runners on through a hit-by-pitch and a single, but Matador reliever Blake Schriever got two swinging strikeouts around a groundout to leave ‘Eaters stranded at second and third. Schriever went the final four innings and earned the win. CSUN stormed back from a 6-1 eighth-inning deficit and won in 12 on Saturday through a two-out, two-run single to center by Nathan Barraza on the only pitch he saw in the game. The ‘Eaters walked off the Sunday finale with a three-run ninth capped by Torres’ RBI single.

- The Gauchos used a five-run third with a three-run Nick Vogt double and two-run Kyle Johnson shot back-to-back among three long balls in all, to take their opener with Hawai’i. On Saturday, UCSB scored in five straight frames from the second through the sixth, punctuated by a three-run Christian Kirtley blast. UH broke through with a six-run 13th to salvage Sunday’s finale as Stone Miyao, Aaron Ujimori and Dallas Duarte combined to drive in 10.

- UC Riverside notched its first Big West victory of 2022 in Friday’s initial meeting with the Aggies, 10-8, tallying four in the first before getting a three-run double from Mason Grace in the third and a three-run Andrew Rivas triple in the fourth to bust things open. The Highlanders opened Saturday’s middle game with a six-run first and led 8-5 after three, but UC Davis scored in every inning from the second through the seventh, with crooked numbers in all but one, to grab a 12-8 advantage. The Highlanders rallied back with a four-run eighth and walked off on Jayden Lopez’s bases-loaded single in the ninth, however, to clinch the series. On Sunday, the Aggies broke open a 7-7 game with a five-run ninth and notched their first win of 2022 and first of the Tommy Nicholson era. James Williams III tied it with his first major college home run to lead off the seventh, and opened the scoring in the ninth with a two-run triple.

- Cal Poly scored 12 straight between a two-run home run in the second and bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the ninth by Dixie State in Friday’s opener, including a two-run Brooks Lee long ball to ignite a five-run third, and a two-run triple by first-time Big West Field Player of the Week Collin Villegas in the middle of a four-run sixth. Villegas added a two-run double during a four-run fifth as the Mustangs rallied for a 6-4 win to begin Saturday’s doubleheader, and Travis Weston fired their second nine-inning shutout of the season in the nightcap, scattering two singles, striking out eight and facing two over the minimum to clinch the set. Cal Poly outscored the Trailblazers on the weekend, 32-10. True freshman southpaw Noah Larkin picked up his first two collegiate wins to earn Big West Pitcher of the Week honors.

- In Monday’s lone contest, Hawai’i banged out 14 hits, including a three-run home run by Jacob Igawa and a pair of RBI doubles from Kyson Donahue, and rallied from deficits of 3-1 and 7-5 to earn a 9-7 win at USC. The Rainbow Warriors thus became the second Big West side to win at Dedeaux Field this year. UC Irvine defeated visiting Cal State Fullerton in a non-conference meeting on Tuesday night, 6-1, with Dub Gleed providing a two-run home run and a two-run double. Cal Poly had its six-game win streak snapped at Cal, 9-3. Andrew Allanson’s opposite-field, three-run blast off the scoreboard in left capped a crazy 10-run sixth that turned a 6-0 deficit into a 10-6 lead for CSU Bakersfield at California Baptist, but the Lancers struck back immediately with a seven-run home half and outlasted the ‘Runners, 13-11.
 

Ranked Wins
Here is a look at Big West teams with wins over nationally-ranked non-conference opponents this season, based on the D1Baseball poll.

Feb. 18 - 
No. 24 Long Beach State 3, at No. 4 Mississippi State 0

Feb. 19 - 
No. 24 Long Beach State 13, at No. 4 Mississippi State 3
Cal State Fullerton 11, at No. 6 Stanford 0

March 4 -
CSUN 9, at No. 6 Stanford 3

March 6 -
UC Irvine 3, at No. 13 Oregon State 2 (10)

March 12 -
No. 25 Gonzaga 3, at Long Beach State 13

March 13 -
No. 25 Gonzaga 0, at Long Beach State 1

March 21 -
No. 25 Connecticut 7, at UC San Diego 8

USA Baseball on Tuesday, April 5, announced its 45-player midseason Golden Spikes Award watch list, continuing the process of identifying the top amateur baseball player in the country for the 2022 season. Three of the 45 standouts came from The Big West, in Cal Poly right-hander Drew Thorpe, Mustang shortstop Brooks Lee and UC Santa Barbara shortstop Jordan Sprinkle. The Big West is one of five collegiate athletic conferences boasting three or more selections. Lee is a member of the Golden Spikes midseason watch list for the second year in a row. He, Sprinkle, and Long Beach State right-hander Devereaux Harrison were on the initial 55-player preseason list back on Feb 15. The winner of the 44th Golden Spikes Award will be announced on Friday, June 24, on ESPN.

At least 18 former Big West Baseball student-athletes made 2022 Opening Day rosters around Major League Baseball. That ranks in the top five among all college conferences, behind the likes of the SEC, ACC and Pac-12.

Cal State Fullerton is best-represented with seven alums, including veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki and Michael Lorenzen still in Southern California with the Los Angeles Angels, and Justin Turner likewise with the 2020 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Matt Chapman is in his first season for the Toronto Blue Jays, J.D. Davis is with the New York Mets, Dustin Garneau with the Detroit Tigers, and Noé Ramirez with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Long Beach State has its quartet of Matt Duffy (Angels), Garrett Hampson (Colorado Rockies), Jeff McNeil (Mets) and Bryan Shaw (Cleveland Guardians). Cal Poly’s trio features Mitch Haniger, who homered in his first at-bat of the season to account for both Seattle Mariner runs during a 2-1 win in Minnesota on April 8 after a career-high 39 long balls a year ago, alongside pitchers Justin Bruihl of the Dodgers and Spencer Howard of the Texas Rangers.

Former UC Santa Barbara ace, 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner and two-time All-Star Shane Bieber earned his third-straight Opening Day start for the Cleveland Guardians, while Dillon Tate, a fellow standout member of the Gaucho pitching staff in 2014 and 2015, is with the Baltimore Orioles. Former UC Irvine slugger Keston Hiura remains with the Milwaukee Brewers, while Andre Pallante is set for his MLB debut with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hawai’i great Kolten Wong is also among the Brewer infielders, with CSU Bakersfield’s Austin Davis on the Boston Red Sox, but both of them wrapped up their college careers while their programs were in the Western Athletic Conference. At least two Big West alums began the new campaign on injured lists, in Dirtbag Evan Longoria and Titan Dylan Floro for the San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins, respectively.

Long Beach State alum Brandon Hyde is in his fourth year as the manager of the Orioles, while Cal State Fullerton legend Mark Kotsay is in his first season as an MLB manager, in charge of the Oakland Athletics. There are numerous other Big West products on MLB staffs.