UC Davis
Mustangs Look to Get Back on Track Against UC Davis
4/24/2024 4:30:00 PM | Baseball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Cal Poly (22-16, 12-6 BW) is back home to defend Baggett Stadium against the visiting UC Davis Aggies (18-20, 5-10 BW) in a weekend series that has potentially major implications on the Mustangs' conference ranking. The home squad is coming off the first conference series loss of the season at Hawai'i and will surely be searching for a way back into the win column to stay within the Big West title race.
As it currently stands, Cal Poly sits comfortably entrenched in 5th place and one game behind UC San Diego. On the other hand, all three teams at the top are one series behind with a three-way tie at an 11-4 record. Two of the final three conference series for the Mustangs, after this weekend, are against teams ahead of them in the standings: UC San Diego and UC Irvine.
Upcoming Games
A sneak peek at what we've got cooking this weekend. ??
— Cal Poly Baseball (@CalPolyBSB) April 23, 2024
Friday: Faith and Family Night
Saturday: Paso Robles Day
Sunday: Bark in the Park ??#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/v7hY2BJvBT
From the start of conference play, every win is vital to staying in the [title] race. Our early season outcomes put us in a position that the only way for post-season play is to win the conference.Head Coach Larry Lee [on importance of upcoming series]
Since 2011, the Mustangs hold a 27-10 record over UC Davis while also leading the all-time series at a lopsided 46-15 dating back to their first meeting in 1951. Even so, Cal Poly will be hungry to avenge last season's series when the Aggies defended their home field with a 2-1 series win that included shutouts to book-end the weekend.
However, in stark difference to last year, the Mustangs are putting together one of their best offensive seasons in recent memory, which is primarily what let to the previous results in 2023. Cal Poly is currently hitting at a .285 clip as a squad and ranks fourth in the Big West, while UCD has the second lowest batting average (.246) and also struggles to stretch extra bases. Alejandro Garza is still lighting up college baseball as a true freshman, currently ranked as the third toughest hitter nationwide to strike out.
Cal Poly, at least on paper, also has the upper hand on the mound, continuing to hold a 14th national-ranked 4.06 ERA while retaining a fantastic K/9 ratio that is also 10th best in the country. Led by starting arms Jakob Wright and Griffin Naess, the Mustangs have allowed 6 or more earned runs on just 9 occasions this year. Wright and Naess themselves are responsible for holding opposing teams to a paltry 35 earned runs over 102.1 IP.
It's just what we do ?? https://t.co/prGVPjpJK1
— Cal Poly Baseball (@CalPolyBSB) March 20, 2024
B7 | Garza single scores Fenn
— Cal Poly Baseball (@CalPolyBSB) March 17, 2024
CSUN-4
CP-7#RideHigh | #CSUNvsCP pic.twitter.com/fntjgB8K50
Although UC Davis has lost its last four series - three of those being in-conference - the Aggies have still found ways to get wins over solid programs. They handed UC Irvine its first conference loss by outscoring one of college baseball's best teams 12-10 on the road.
At the moment, the Aggies are far from title contention at 5-10 in conference play. Last week, UC Santa Barbara outscored Davis 13-2 in a three-game sweep at the Aggies' home stadium. However, Davis is still coming off a successful trip to Saint Mary's in which the Gaels were beaten 9-3 with the help of junior outfielder and leading hitter Mark Wolbert.
UC Davis' two consistent starters, Bryan Green and Noel Valdez, are both sitting just above a 4.00 ERA each, but the Aggies rely more on good pitching from their primary relievers Carter Delaney (1.69 ERA, 20 K, 26.2 IP) and Kaden Riccomini (1.80 ERA, 19 APP, 3 ER).
