Friday, April 21
Berkeley, Calif.
7:05 PM
California
vs
USC
Freshman Andrew Vaughn enters the weekend as the Pac-12 leader in home runs (Dave Donovan Photography)
Photo by: Dave Donovan Photography
4/20/2017 1:21 PM | Baseball
BERKELEY - The Cal baseball team jumps back into Pac-12 play beginning Friday when USC pays a visit to Evans Diamond for a three-game series. First pitch for game one is set for 7:05 p.m., Saturday's second game will begin at 6:05 p.m. and Sunday's series finale is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Live updates will be available through the Cal Baseball Twitter account (@Cal_Baseball).
The Bears carry a six-game home winning streak into Friday's series opener after sweeps of Washington State and Arizona State. Cal has been particularly good at home this season, compiling a 12-6 record at Evans Diamond. On the other side of the diamond, USC brings a 4-9 road record into the weekend and an 18-17 overall mark.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday, April 21, 7:05 p.m.
Cal: RHP Jared Horn (3-3, 3.50 ERA)
USC: RHP Chris Clarke (4-1, 4.93 ERA)
Saturday, April 22, 6:05 p.m.
Cal: RHP Joey Matulovich (4-1, 4.91 ERA)
USC: RHP CJ Stubbs (0-2, 3.67 ERA)
Sunday, April 23, 1:05 p.m.
Cal: LHP Matt Ladrech (2-0, 2.49 ERA)
USC: RHP Marrick Crouse (2-5, 7.07 ERA)
LAST TIME OUT
Cal returned to action on Tuesday with a mid-week trip to Stanford but a big third inning for the Cardinal proved decisive as a late rally by the Bears fell short in a 6-4 loss. Freshman Andrew Vaughn drove in two runs while junior Denis Karas belted his sixth home run of the season.
Before returning to the Bay Area, Cal continued to search for its footing on the road at Utah as the Utes claimed the first two games of the series with a 9-3 win on Thursday and 16-8 victory on Friday. Those two games gave way to a memorable Saturday comeback though as, trailing 6-1 after three innings, the Bears rallied to earn an 8-7 victory at Smith's Ballpark. One run apiece in each of the final four innings helped complete the comeback and the eventual winning run scored on a sacrifice fly by Max Flower in the top of the ninth inning. Junior Erik Martinez earned the win with 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and sophomore Tanner Dodson picked up his first save of the year by getting the final out of the game.
SCOUTING REPORT: USC
The Bears won't be the only members of the animal kingdom in attendance for Sunday's 1:05 p.m. game against USC as Cal hosts its annual Bark in the Park day. Fans are encouraged to bring their dogs to the game but must also bring proof of current vaccinations.
RUFFING IT
Another Golden Bear who has been asked to wear several different hats is junior Matt Ruff. Serving more as a utility man than a catcher this season, the junior from Yorba Linda, Calif. is hitting .341 after a trip to Utah in which he went 6 for 11. Ruff enters the USC series with the team's highest batting average in Pac-12 play, leading the Bears with a .522 (12 for 23) average.
ON DECK
After hosting the Trojans, Cal will turn its attention to the road as the Bears will play seven of their next eight away from Evans Diamond. That stretch starts on Tuesday with a mid-week trip to take on San Francisco at the newly reconfigured Benedetti Diamond. Pac-12 play picks back up in Seattle with three games against Washington starting on April 28. San Francisco comes to Berkeley on May 2 for mid-week action and Cal travels to Oregon State for three games against the No. 1-ranked Beavers beginning on May 5.
The Bears carry a six-game home winning streak into Friday's series opener after sweeps of Washington State and Arizona State. Cal has been particularly good at home this season, compiling a 12-6 record at Evans Diamond. On the other side of the diamond, USC brings a 4-9 road record into the weekend and an 18-17 overall mark.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday, April 21, 7:05 p.m.
Cal: RHP Jared Horn (3-3, 3.50 ERA)
USC: RHP Chris Clarke (4-1, 4.93 ERA)
Saturday, April 22, 6:05 p.m.
Cal: RHP Joey Matulovich (4-1, 4.91 ERA)
USC: RHP CJ Stubbs (0-2, 3.67 ERA)
Sunday, April 23, 1:05 p.m.
Cal: LHP Matt Ladrech (2-0, 2.49 ERA)
USC: RHP Marrick Crouse (2-5, 7.07 ERA)
LAST TIME OUT
Cal returned to action on Tuesday with a mid-week trip to Stanford but a big third inning for the Cardinal proved decisive as a late rally by the Bears fell short in a 6-4 loss. Freshman Andrew Vaughn drove in two runs while junior Denis Karas belted his sixth home run of the season.
Before returning to the Bay Area, Cal continued to search for its footing on the road at Utah as the Utes claimed the first two games of the series with a 9-3 win on Thursday and 16-8 victory on Friday. Those two games gave way to a memorable Saturday comeback though as, trailing 6-1 after three innings, the Bears rallied to earn an 8-7 victory at Smith's Ballpark. One run apiece in each of the final four innings helped complete the comeback and the eventual winning run scored on a sacrifice fly by Max Flower in the top of the ninth inning. Junior Erik Martinez earned the win with 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and sophomore Tanner Dodson picked up his first save of the year by getting the final out of the game.
SCOUTING REPORT: USC
- The Trojans return to Pac-12 play after dropping two of three against Cal State Fullerton and splitting a pair of mid-week games with UC Irvine. Head coach Dan Hubbs' squad hosted Stanford in its last conference series and the Cardinal took two of three at Dedeaux Field.
- USC owns a similar offensive profile to the Bears as the Trojans have one more hit (330 to 329) and just two more runs (176 to 174) so far this season. Infielders Frankie Rios (.350) and Brandon Perez (.344) sit atop USC's hitting stats while Lars Nootbaar is the team's top run-producer with five home runs and 25 RBI.
- The Trojans own a staff ERA of 4.92 and seven different pitchers have made a start this season.
- Hubbs makes another return to Berkeley as the Trojans' skipper after spending 12 years (2000-11) as Cal's pitching coach.
- Last meeting: USC earned the series win over the Bears in 2016 with victories on Friday and Saturday. Cal earned a 5-4 win on Thursday behind seven innings and 10 strikeouts from Daulton Jefferies.
The Bears won't be the only members of the animal kingdom in attendance for Sunday's 1:05 p.m. game against USC as Cal hosts its annual Bark in the Park day. Fans are encouraged to bring their dogs to the game but must also bring proof of current vaccinations.
RUFFING IT
Another Golden Bear who has been asked to wear several different hats is junior Matt Ruff. Serving more as a utility man than a catcher this season, the junior from Yorba Linda, Calif. is hitting .341 after a trip to Utah in which he went 6 for 11. Ruff enters the USC series with the team's highest batting average in Pac-12 play, leading the Bears with a .522 (12 for 23) average.
ON DECK
After hosting the Trojans, Cal will turn its attention to the road as the Bears will play seven of their next eight away from Evans Diamond. That stretch starts on Tuesday with a mid-week trip to take on San Francisco at the newly reconfigured Benedetti Diamond. Pac-12 play picks back up in Seattle with three games against Washington starting on April 28. San Francisco comes to Berkeley on May 2 for mid-week action and Cal travels to Oregon State for three games against the No. 1-ranked Beavers beginning on May 5.
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