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What 2 Watch 4
With one week remains in the reuglar season for The Big West, UC Santa Barbara (39-12, 23-4 BW) has clinched at least a share of the title. The Gauchos can win the trophy outright with just one victory in the three-game series against UC Riverside (16-33, 6-21 BW). UC Irvine (41-11, 20-7 BW) is the other team in contention and have no margin for error. The Anteaters must sweep CSUN (29-22, 15-12 BW) and hope UCSB does not win a game to share the throne.
The other three series on the final weekend are Cal State Bakersfield (14-36, 7-20 BW) at UC Davis (27-26, 11-16 BW), Long Beach State (24-27-1, 9-18 BW) at Cal Poly (33-21, 18-9 BW) and Cal State Fullerton (16-35, 7-20 BW) at Hawai‘i (34-16, 17-10 BW).
Big West Baseball Schedule
National Attention
UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara are featured on the national rankings of several publications.
UC Santa Barbara is ranked ninth by Perfect Game, 13th by D1Baseball, 15th by NCBWA, 18th by USA Today and 18th by Baseball America.
UC Irvine is rated 13th by Perfect Game, 13th by NCBWA, 13th by USA Today Coaches, and 14th by D1Baseball, 17th by Baseball America.
Cal Poly, Hawai‘i and UC San Diego are receiving votes in the NCBWA poll.
• D1Baseball
• NCBWA
• Baseball America
• Perfect Game
• USA Today Coaches
Charging 'Chos
UC Santa Barbara has a 39-12 overall record and is in the lead with a 23-4 record in league play. The Gauchos are undefeated at home (22-0) and have won 18 straight conference games.
The UCSB offense ranks first in The Big West in home runs (70) and are second in slugging percentage (.470) and runs scored (377). Brendan Durfee (.351 BA, 1.023 OPS, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 41 R) and Aaron Parker (.349 BA, 1.006 OPS, 10 HR, 47 RBI, 35 R) are sixth and 10th in the league, respectively, in OPS. Jessada Brown (.353 BA, 8 HR, 37 RBI, 36 R), Nick Oakley (.304 BA, 44 RBI, 39 R), Zander Darby (30 RBI, 33 R), Ivan Brethowr (12 HR, 34 RBI, 33 R) and Justin Trimble (10 HR, 42 RBI, 33 R) are some names that make up a potent lineup.
The Gaucho pitching has also proven to be extremely effective, ranking first in the conference in WHIP (1.26) and second in ERA (4.02). Ryan Gallagher (8-1, 2.24 ERA, .81 WHIP, 86 K, 76.1 IP) and Tyler Bremner (11-0, 2.57 ERA, .82 WHIP, 86 K, 77.0 IP) are 1-2 in the nation in WHIP. Those two and Mike Gutierrez (8-0, 3.32 ERA, 74 K, 78.2 IP) make up a solid rotation. Bremner and Gallagher also rank 1-2 in the league in ERA amongst starters. Matt Ager is the league leader in saves with 10.
'Eaters Eating
UC Irvine is 41-11 overall and is in second place with an 20-7 conference mark. The Anteaters lead The Big West in many offensive stats categories including batting average (.315), runs scored (469), hits (595), doubles (118), triples (15), RBI (436), drawn walks (309), slugging (.486) and on base percentage (.445). Myles Smith (.421 BA, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 48 R) and Caden Kendle (.392 BA, 50 RBI, 47 R) have the two best batting averages in the league. Anthony Martinez (.325 BA, 9 HR, 68 RBI, 49 R) and Woody Hadeen (.373 BA, 26 RBI, 72 R, 12 SB) top The Big West in RBI and runs scored, respectively. Jo Oyama (.297 BA, 8 HR, 49 RBI, 55 R), Thomas McCaffrey (.297 BA, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 29 R) and Will Bermudez (.306 BA, 46 RBI, 36 R) are some names that fill out a stacked Anteaters lineup.
On the pitching side, the Anteaters are led by ace Nick Pinto (9-2, 3.43 ERA, 88 K, 84.0 IP) and a slew of hurlers out of the bullpen including closer Ricky Tibbett who has eight saves.
Kendle was announced as a Midseason Watch List member of the prestigious Golden Spikes Award. The award is bestowed annually to the best amateur baseball player in the United States.
Bermudez was announced as a Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist. The award honors the nation’s top shortstop and presented by the College Baseball Foundation. It is named after former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980.
Pinto is a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year award.
Mighty Mustangs
Cal Poly has a 33-21 overall record and a 18-9 league mark for third place. The Mustangs pitching has carried the load with the second best walks allowed per nine innings (3.40) and third best ERA (4.16). Jakob Wright (8-3, 2.96 ERA, 95 K, 82.0 IP) leads The Big West league in strikeouts. Wright and Griffin Naess (7-0, 3.07 ERA, 58 K, 67.1 IP) are both in the top 10 in ERA. Closer Tanner Sagouspe has eight saves on the year.
Offensively, the Mustangs have the third best batting average in the conference at .290. Ryan Stafford (.372 BA, 1.021 OPS, 44 RBI, 47 R) and Jake Steels (.376 BA, 1.022 OPS. 30 RBI, 54 R) are both in the top 10 in batting average. Four other Mustangs hit above or near .300 in Alejandro Garza (.328 BA, 26 RBI, 26 R), Ryan Fenn (.318 BA, 39 RBI, 40 R), Joe Yorke (.297 BA, 47 RBI, 23 R) and Dylan Kordic (.312 BA, 21 RBI, 27 R).
Blazing 'Bows
Hawai‘i has won 15 of its last 17 for a 34-16 overall record and a 17-10 conference mark. The Rainbow Warrior pitching staff have the best ERA (3.89), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.81) and walks allowed per nine innings (3.14) in The Big West. Ace Alex Giroux ranks top 10 in wins (8), ERA (3.67), WHIP (1.21) and walks allowed per nine innings (2.05). Seven different players have recorded saves for Hawai‘i this season.
On offense, the Rainbow Warriors rank second in the league in drawn walks (291), batting average (.294) and on base percentage (.411). Jordan Donahue (.359 BA, 28 RBI, 41 R, 10 SB), Austin Machado (.343 BA, 47 RBI, 41 R), Kyson Donahue (.310 BA, 35 RBI, 35 R), Jake Tsukada (.327 BA, 33 RBI, 44 R) and Matthew Miura (.304 BA, 41 RBI, 47 R, 15 SB) are part of a devastating lineup.
Triton Tough
With a bye in the final week, UC San Diego finished its final season of reclassification with a 30-23 overall record, going 17-13 in Big West play. Closer Izaak Martinez had a league-best ERA of 1.85 to go along with nine saves. Martinez is a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year award. Anthony Eyanson (6-2, 3.07 ERA, .96 WHIP, 85 K, 82.0 IP) served as the Triton ace.
Anthony Potestio (.318 BA, 20 RBI, 20 R), Emiliano Gonzalez (.317 BA, 46 RBI, 30 R), Michael Crossland (.292 BA, 26 RBI, 37 R, 12 SB) and Nick Costello (10 HR, 32 RBI, 49 R) were the offensive leaders for UCSD.
Marvelous Matadors
A combination of small ball and power has propelled CSUN to an overall mark of 29-22 with a 15-12 record in conference play. Jakob Simons (.314 BA, 1.099 OPS, 16 HR, 56 RBI, 55 R, 16 SB) and Kevin Fitzer (.333 BA, 1.092 OPS, 10 HR, 39 RBI, 35 R, 11 SB) are the second and third in the league, respectively, in OPS. Kamau Neighbors (.312 BA, 28 RBI, 44 R) and Shunsuke Sakaino (.304 BA, 25 RBI, 30 R) are also important pieces of the CSUN lineup. The Matadors can also play small ball, tied for most sacrifice bunts in the league (fourth in the nation) with 51. Mason Le are Neighbors are 1-2 in the league in sacrifice bunts with 12 and 10, respectively. Closer Joshua Romero has seven saves.
History of Big West at College World Series
The Big West has sent at least one team to the Men’s 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 MCWS - 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, CSUF and UCI played in the longest game in MCWS 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.
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