Bears Host Cougars For Crucial Three-Game Tilt

BERKELEY – The California baseball returns home for its final regular season homestand of 2023 when Washington State comes to Stu Gordon Stadium for a three-game series starting Friday at 6 p.m. The series has major postseason implications for both teams. All three games will be streamed on the Cal Live Stream with Jim Darby calling the action live.

Cal (21-23, 9-15 Pac-12) enters on a high note this weekend after sweeping UCLA on the road for the first time since 1991. The Bears hit .347 as a team during the series against the Bruins, clubbing 21 extra-base hits, including 12 home runs. Washington State (27-19, 8-15 Pac-12) is coming off a series defeat at the hands of Washington last weekend. The Cougars have lost five of their last seven, including six of their last seven Pac-12 contests.

On Saturday, the Golden Bears will host their annual Bark At the Park. A pup parade will take place on the field at 1:40 p.m. with the first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday is Senior Day, and Cal will honor 11 student-athletes during an on-field ceremony scheduled to begin at 12:40 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW

• Friday, May 12, 6 p.m.:  Cal Live Stream | Live Stats
• Saturday, May 13, 2 p.m.:  Cal Live Stream | Live Stats
• Sunday, May 14, 1 p.m.:  Cal Live Stream | Live Stats

PROJECTED STARTERS

•       Friday: RHP Christian Becerra (2-3, 5.76 ERA) vs. TBD
•       Saturday: RHP Paulshawn Pasqualotto (3-1, 3.64 ERA) v. TBD
•       Sunday: TBD vs. TBD

QUICK HITS

• The Bears are 10-9 at home this season.  
• Cal’s series sweep at UCLA last weekend was the first time the Bears have swept the Bruins at Jackie Robinson Stadium since April 12-14, 1991.
• As a team, the Bears hit .347 (41-for-118) in the series against the Bruins, including 21 extra-base hits during the weekend (eight doubles, one triple, and 12 home runs.)
• Seven Bears hit over .300 against the Bruins but it was Max Handron who had the most impactful weekend. Handron went 6-for-16 against UCLA, and four of his six hits were home runs. In Sunday’s win, Handron hit two home runs, including the go-ahead blast in the sixth inning. 
• At the friendly confines of Stu Gordon Stadium, the Bears are hitting .236 (143-for-607). Cal averages 6.32 runs per game in home contests.
• The 12 home runs hit against the Bruins last week gives the Bears 66 on the year, which ranks fourth in the Pac-12 and 63rd nationally. Eleven players have hit at least one home run for the Bears, and nine have hit three or more.
• Rodney Green Jr. and Kade Kretzschmar lead the team with 12 home runs apiece, which ranks tied for seventh in the Pac-12.
• On Sunday, Carson Crawford was hit by a pitch for the team-leading 11th time this season. In two seasons, Crawford has been hit by a pitch 15 times. Cal is 10-4 in those contests (he was hit twice against Nevada on April 10.)

SERIES HISTORY

Friday will be the 106th meeting between the Bears and Cougars. The series dates back to 1902 with Cal owning a 61-43-1 advantage in the series. Under Mike Neu, Cal is 8-4 against the Cougars with series wins in 2022, ’19, and ’18. In 2021, WSU came to Stu Gordon Stadium and took two of three from the Bears.

UP NEXT

Cal will play its final home game of the 2023 season on Tuesday when Santa Clara comes to Stu Gordon Stadium. Tuesday’s contest against the Broncos will be streamed on the Cal Live Stream and is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start time.