Tuesday, March 14
Berkeley, Calif.
7:05 PM
California
vs
Minnesota
Tyrus Greene and the Bears host four games at Evans Diamond this week (Dave Donovan Photography)
3/13/2017 2:38 PM | Baseball
BERKELEY – The Cal baseball team kicks off a four-game homestand with its first mid-week game of the season when Minnesota pays a visit to Evans Diamond on Tuesday for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.
The Bears return to Berkeley with a 7-7 overall record after a tremendously successful trip to Southern California over the weekend. Three wins in three days over perennial West Coast Conference title contender Pepperdine brought the Bears back to .500 and featured several standout performances along the way. A 12-run explosion on Friday was followed by a pitching and defense-heavy 3-2 win on Saturday and a 10-strikeout effort from right-hander Joey Matulovich helped Cal clinch the sweep with a 3-1 victory. Cal enters Tuesday's game on a four-game winning streak.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Tuesday, March 14, 7:05 p.m.
Cal: RHP Rogelio Reyes (1-1, 5.59 ERA)
Minnesota: RHP Nolan Burchill (1-1, 3.38 ERA)
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
Cal showed its ability to win in a variety of ways with the sweep of Pepperdine, breaking out the bats on Friday and relying on pitching and defense for the rest of the weekend. Friday's 12-7 victory featured a four-RBI day from junior Denis Karas and earned starter Tanner Dodson his first win of the season. Freshman Jared Horn picked up his first win of the year Saturday with a strong start, working into the seventh inning and striking out eight to get the win. Matulovich took over on Sunday to notch Cal's first complete game of the year and Cameron Eden hit a two-run home run that proved decisive.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
Cal's youth continues to play a major role in how the 2017 season develops. Cal's top three hitters when it comes to batting average – Cameron Eden, Andrew Vaughn and Max Flower – are all freshmen while the other two Bears hitting over .300 – Tyrus Greene and Jonah Davis – are sophomores. Junior third baseman Denis Karas is the only regular starter older than a sophomore.
WELCOME BACK, BUCK
Redshirt junior Andrew Buckley has returned from two injury-plagued seasons to make an impact out of the bullpen for the Bears in 2017. The Concord, Calif. native is tied for fourth on the team in appearances and has yet to allow a run in 3.1 innings pitched. Buckley last pitched in 2014, going 0-0 with a 5.84 ERA and a save at Arizona State.
ON DECK
Tuesday's game against Minnesota is the first of four at home for Cal this week as Oregon comes to town for the first Pac-12 series of the season. Action between the Bears and Ducks kicks off Friday at 7:05 p.m., continues Saturday at 6:05 p.m. and wraps up on Sunday with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch. Cal heads back to Southern California next week for three games against UCLA, then returns to Evans Diamond for a Monday night contest against Long Beach State.
The Bears return to Berkeley with a 7-7 overall record after a tremendously successful trip to Southern California over the weekend. Three wins in three days over perennial West Coast Conference title contender Pepperdine brought the Bears back to .500 and featured several standout performances along the way. A 12-run explosion on Friday was followed by a pitching and defense-heavy 3-2 win on Saturday and a 10-strikeout effort from right-hander Joey Matulovich helped Cal clinch the sweep with a 3-1 victory. Cal enters Tuesday's game on a four-game winning streak.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Tuesday, March 14, 7:05 p.m.
Cal: RHP Rogelio Reyes (1-1, 5.59 ERA)
Minnesota: RHP Nolan Burchill (1-1, 3.38 ERA)
SCOUTING MINNESOTA
- The Golden Gophers come to town with a record of 9-6 after winning just one of three against Missouri State over the weekend. Minnesota claimed the first game of the series 5-2 before dropping a 7-2 decision on Saturday and a 12-3 contest on Sunday.
- Junior infielder Luke Pettersen leads the way for Minnesota offensively and enters Tuesday's game with a .429 average. Fellow junior infielder Micah Coffey is the team's top run-producer with 13 RBI.
- Much like the Bears, Minnesota has relied on a number of arms out of its bullpen. 15 different Golden Gophers have seen time on the mound, led by Brian Glowicki who enters with a 1.04 ERA in seven appearances. Tim Shannon is the team's leader in appearances with nine.
- Cal owns a 6-1 all-time record against Minnesota. The Bears and Golden Gophers last played in 2008 when Cal participated in a tournament at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and Cal earned a 4-1 win behind a 10-strikeout performance from Craig Bennigson and two RBI from Jeff Kobernus.
Cal showed its ability to win in a variety of ways with the sweep of Pepperdine, breaking out the bats on Friday and relying on pitching and defense for the rest of the weekend. Friday's 12-7 victory featured a four-RBI day from junior Denis Karas and earned starter Tanner Dodson his first win of the season. Freshman Jared Horn picked up his first win of the year Saturday with a strong start, working into the seventh inning and striking out eight to get the win. Matulovich took over on Sunday to notch Cal's first complete game of the year and Cameron Eden hit a two-run home run that proved decisive.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
Cal's youth continues to play a major role in how the 2017 season develops. Cal's top three hitters when it comes to batting average – Cameron Eden, Andrew Vaughn and Max Flower – are all freshmen while the other two Bears hitting over .300 – Tyrus Greene and Jonah Davis – are sophomores. Junior third baseman Denis Karas is the only regular starter older than a sophomore.
WELCOME BACK, BUCK
Redshirt junior Andrew Buckley has returned from two injury-plagued seasons to make an impact out of the bullpen for the Bears in 2017. The Concord, Calif. native is tied for fourth on the team in appearances and has yet to allow a run in 3.1 innings pitched. Buckley last pitched in 2014, going 0-0 with a 5.84 ERA and a save at Arizona State.
ON DECK
Tuesday's game against Minnesota is the first of four at home for Cal this week as Oregon comes to town for the first Pac-12 series of the season. Action between the Bears and Ducks kicks off Friday at 7:05 p.m., continues Saturday at 6:05 p.m. and wraps up on Sunday with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch. Cal heads back to Southern California next week for three games against UCLA, then returns to Evans Diamond for a Monday night contest against Long Beach State.
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