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What 2 Watch 4
Cal Poly (14-9, 8-1 BW) and UC San Diego (9-13, 5-1 BW) have separated themselves from the pack as league play enters week four. Right behind the frontrunners is a four-pack of UC Santa Barbara (15-7), CSUN (14-9), UC Davis (11-11) and Cal State Fullerton (11-13) all sitting with identical conference records of 5-4. Hawai‘i (13-10), Cal State Bakersfield (9-15) and Long Beach State (8-16) are a couple games behind the pack with the same 3-6 league mark.
The weekend is highlighted by No. 20 Oregon visiting UC Santa Barbara. The Ducks are 21-4 overall, while the Gauchos were the preseason favorites to win the conference. In Big West action, Cal State Fullerton travels to Hawai‘i (13-10, 3-6 BW). The Rainbow Warriors hope to win their second straight series after a 1-5 start in league play, while the Titans look to bounce back after getting swept by CSUN.
Another matchup to watch is UC San Diego at UC Davis. The Tritons won two conference series in a row, while the Aggies look to respond after losing their first league series last week.
The other matchups in the fourth week of conference play are Cal Poly at UC Riverside (7-17, 2-4 BW), Cal State Bakersfield (9-15, 3-6 BW) at CSUN and UC Irvine (8-15, 1-5 BW) at Long Beach State (8-16, 3-6 BW).
Big West Baseball Schedule
Around the Horn
Cal Poly is 14-9 overall and 8-1 in conference play, ranking first in The Big West. The Mustangs lead the league in batting average and doubles at .289 and 57, respectively. In conference action, Cal Poly’s batting average increases to .341. Cam Hoiland (.377 BA, 15 R), Casey Murray Jr. (.371, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 18 R), Nate Castellon (.333 BA, co-league lead 26 R) and Alejandro Garza (.327 BA, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 22 R) are the top hitters for the Mustangs. The Cal Poly pitching staff is led by starters Carson Turnquist (2-0, 1.85 ERA, 22 K, 24.1 IP) and Griffin Naess (3-1, 3.55 ERA, 36 K, 33.0 IP), and bullpen arms Brady Estes (1.53 ERA, 22 K, 17.2 IP) and Nick Bonn (2.70 ERA, 18 K, 20.0 IP).
UC San Diego is second place in the standings with a 5-1 conference record. In conference play, the Tritons have a .323 batting average with 13 home runs in just six games. J.C. Allen (.310 BA, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 14 R), Gabe Camacho (8 HR, 28 RBI, 17 R), Anthony Potestio (24 R), Nick Costello (4 HR, 13 RBI, 16 R) and Michael Crossland (5 HR, 13 RBI, 16 R) are the offensive catalysts for UCSD. Camacho leads The Big West in RBI.
UC Santa Barbara is 15-7 overall and tied for third at 5-4 in conference play. The Gauchos have the best ERA in conference play at 3.16. Ace Jackson Flora is 5-0 with a league-leading 0.94 ERA and 51 strikes in 38.1 innings of work. Nathan Aceves (2-1, 3.77 ERA, 39 K, 31.0 IP) and Kellan Montgomery (4-1, 3.86 ERA, 26K, 32.2 IP) are the other two starters for UCSB. Colin Beazizo (.385 BA), Rowan Kelly (.353 BA, 11 RBI, 23 R), William Vasseur (.345 BA, 11 RBI) are the top hitters for UCSB in batting average. Nick Husovsky has five home runs for 19 RBI and 16 runs.
CSUN is tied for third with a 5-4 league record. The Matadors lead the conference with 40 home runs this season. CSUN is led by Matthew Thomas (.333 BA, 9 HR, 21 RBI, 26 R) and Matthew Pena (.319 BA, 9 HR, 24 RBI, 20 R), who are tied with each other for the league’s home run lead. Thomas is also the conference’s co-leader in runs scored. Kyle Panganiban (.322 BA, 7 HR, 24 RBI, 22 R) is not far behind in home runs. Colton Boardman (.383 BA) has the team’s top batting average.
UC Davis is in the third-place deadlock with a 5-4 conference mark. Reliever Rowen Barnes has not given up a run in 14.0 innings. Starter Jack Pezzolo (12.2 IP) has a 0.71 ERA in four starts on the mound. Tyler Howard (.320 BA, 13 RBI, 19 R) is the top hitter for the Aggies.
Cal State Fullerton is 5-4 in league action, tied for third in the standings. Ace Mikiah Negrete is 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 35.2 innings this season. Paul Contreras (.388 BA, 6 HR, 15 RBI, 15 R) the Titans’ leader or co-leader in batting average, home runs, RBI and runs.
Hawai‘i has a conference-best team ERA of 2.88, led by three starters in Isaiah Magdaleno (3-1, 2.82 ERA, 44 K, 38.1 P), Hekili Robello (4-1, 2.91 ERA, 36 K, 34.0 IP) and Liam O’Brien (3.60 ERA, 25.0 IP). Elijah Ickes (.299 BA, 14 R) and Ben Zeigler-Namoa (15 RBI, 12 R) are the top offensive threats for Hawai‘i.
Cal State Bakersfield has scored 149 runs this season, the second most in the conference. Three Roadrunners hit above .300 with Evan Cloyd (.384 BA, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 16 R), Kanoa Morisaki (.367 BA, 4 HR, 15 RBI, 17 R) and Elijah Pelayo (.319 BA, 12 RBI, 16 R).
Long Beach State’s Trevor Goldenetz (.398 BA, 18 R) is the conference leader in batting average. Dylan Lina leads the team with five home runs and a conference second-best 27 RBI. Jake Evans (.385 BA, 10 RBI, 13 R) and Trotter Enright (22 RBI) are also key parts of the Beach lineup. Starting pitcher Jason Gerfers (2-1, 3.28 ERA, 34 K, 35.2 IP) has thrown back-to-back complete games.
David Gibbs (.317 BA, 13 RBI, 10 R) and Manoah Chapman (.314 BA, 11 RBI, 10 R) are hitting above .300 for UC Riverside, while Lucas Bonham is the team’s leader in home runs (5), RBI (17) and runs (14). Reliever Matt Hudson has a 0.64 ERA in 14.0 innings of work.
UC Irvine ace Trevor Hansen is 3-1 with a 3.29 ERA and league-leading 48 strikeouts in 38.1 innings of work. Zach Fjelstad (.333 BA, 14 RBI, 17 R) and Alonso Reyes (.309 BA, 16 RBI) lead the ‘Eaters in batting average, RBI and runs scored.
National Attention
UC Santa Barbara is receiving votes in the latest NCBWA and USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
Cal Poly is receiving votes in the latest NCBWA rankings.
• D1Baseball
• NCBWA
• Baseball America
• Perfect Game
• USA Today Coaches
Tickets On Sale Now
All-Session tickets for the 2026 Big West Baseball Championship are on sale now. The league’s top five teams will advance to the 2026 Big West Baseball Championship May 20-24 at UC Irvine's Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark, with the winner earning an automatic berth in the NCAA Championship.
All-Session tickets for all days of competition are $125 for reserved seating and $75 for general admission.
Single-session tickets are on sale April 29, 2026, and range from $10 - $20 for games 1-6 and $10 - $25 for the championship game on Saturday, May 23 at 6 p.m. and the “if necessary” championshipgame in the double-elimination event on Sunday, May 24 at Noon.
Purchase All-Session Tickets
Championship Homepage
Big West in MLB Opening Day
No less than 19 former Big West baseball standouts will suit up for Major League Baseball (MLB) teams on Opening Day of the 2026 season. For full list >>>>
Former Big West players are spread out over 13 MLB clubs, with the St. Louis Cardinals housing four alums on their rosters. The Athletics, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants are also teams that have multiple Big West alums on Opening Day rosters. Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine led all Big West programs with four players each on Opening Day rosters.
Big West alums are also scattered throughout MLB coaching staffs and front offices, but no two are more prominent than managers Mark Kotsay (Cal State Fullerton/Athletics) and Skip Schumaker (UC Santa Barbara/Texas Rangers).
Preseason Poll & Team
UC Santa Barbara has been picked to win The Big West, according to a poll of the conference’s 11 head coaches. It is the fourth year in a row that the Gauchos have been selected as the preseason favorites in February.
UC Santa Barbara earned five of the 11 first-place votes to total 95 points. The Gauchos have won three of the last six awarded Big West regular-season titles (2019, 2022, 2024) and have appeared in the NCAA Tournament four times (2019, 2021, 2022, 2024) during that span. In 2025, UC Santa Barbara tied for fourth in the league standings with a 16-14 conference mark, going 36-18 overall. The Gauchos qualified for The Big West Championship and were eliminated in the opening round. UC Santa Barbara is expected to compete nationally this season, coming in at No. 21 in Perfect Game’s preseason rankings and receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
The Big West coaches also voted on an 11-player preseason team and the Gauchos had a representative in junior right-handed pitcher Jackson Flora. A reigning All-Big West First Team member, Flora went 6-3 with a 3.60 ERA and 86 strikeouts over 75.0 innings in 2025.
Cal Poly came in second in the poll, receiving five first-place votes for 89 points. Last year, the Mustangs went overall 43-19 overall and finished second in the conference regular-season with a 23-7 mark. The Mustangs won the revived Big West Championship and earned the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Mustangs took two spots on the preseason team with junior third baseman Alejandro Garza and junior left-handed pitcher Griffin Naess. Garza is a two-time All-Big West First Team honoree and hit .351 with 54 RBI and 57 runs last year. Naess was Cal Poly’s ace in 2025, going 7-3 with a 3.41 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 95.0 innings of work.
The final remaining first-place vote went to UC Irvine, predicted for third in the poll with 86 points. The Anteaters are the reigning Big West regular-season champion with a 24-6 conference record, going 43-17 overall. UC Irvine was the runner-up in the 2025 Big West Baseball Championship but did well enough to receive an at-large bid to the national tournament. The Anteaters are receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
The Anteaters had two representatives on the Big West preseason team with junior right-handed pitcher Trevor Hansen and junior left-handed pitcher Ricky Ojeda. Both were All-Big West First Team selections in 2025. Hansen went 9-3 with a 3.30 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 95.1 innings. Ojeda was 13-1 with a 3.55 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 66.0 innings.
Cal State Fullerton and Hawai‘i tied for fourth in the poll with 67 points. Last season, the Titans were third in the regular season after going 19-11 in league play, 29-27 overall, while the Rainbow Warriors were tied for fourth with a 16-14 conference mark and 35-21 overall. Cal State Fullerton is receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
Titan outfielder/first baseman Andrew Kirchner was named to the preseason team after hitting .301 with 12 home runs, 70 RBI and 38 runs en route to All-Big West Second Team honors in 2025.
Hawai‘i had three on the preseason team with junior infielder Elijah Ickes, junior right-handed pitcher Isaiah Magdaleno and graduate outfielder/infielder Ben Zeigler-Namoa. Ickes batted .303 with six stolen bases, 21 RBI and 27 runs in limited action last year. Magdaleno went 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 60.0 innings pitched for All-Big West First Team honors. Zeigler-Namoa was a 2025 All-Big West Second Team member with a .333 batting average, 54 runs and 41 RBI.
UC San Diego was selected to finish sixth with 60 points. The Tritons were sixth last season with a 15-15 league record, 26-25 overall. Senior infielder J.C. Allen and junior outfielder Michael Crossland earned spots on the preseason team. In 2025, Allen earned All-Big West First Team distinction hitting .304 with 14 home runs, 53 RBI and 56 runs. Crossland was also an All-Big West First Team selection last season with a .341 batting average, 15 home runs, six stolen bases, 44 RBI and 49 runs.
Long Beach State (41), UC Davis (40), CSUN (25), Cal State Bakersfield (22) and UC Riverside (13) round out the poll.
The 2026 Big West conference schedule consists of a 30-game slate, with each side facing all 10 opponents in three-game sets starting Friday, March 6. Check listings to see which contests air on ESPN+.
The Big West’s top five teams will advance to the 2026 Big West Baseball Championship, May 20-24 at UC Irvine’s Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark, with the winner earning an automatic berth in the NCAA Championship.
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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