BERKELEY, Calif. – On a day that started in a driving hail storm but finished under bright blue skies, the Cal baseball team called on several players in big spots and the Bears responded, earning a hard-fought 6-4 victory over Arizona State to clinch a series win with one game left to play at Evans Diamond.
 
In much the same fashion as Friday's series opener, Saturday's contest between the Bears and Sun Devils looked like it might find a window of good weather right around first pitch. That lasted only half an inning, and right before Cal (14-14, 6-5 Pac-12) was about to take its first at-bat, the skies opened to force a delay that involved more field restoration than actual precipitation.
 
Again in nearly the same way they did on Friday, the Bears didn't wait long to get the bats going. An RBI single by Max Flower put Cal up 1-0 after two innings and the flood gates opened (figuratively this time) in the third as an RBI double by Denis Karas, two-run triple by Tanner Dodson and a double steal that included a theft of home pushed the Bears' advantage to 5-0.
 
Dodson set up Cal's next run with a leadoff double in the fifth, scoring eventually on a grounder by Flower. Arizona State (12-17, 2-9) made its bid for a comeback shortly thereafter, scoring three runs in the sixth and another in the seventh but, with a runner on second and two outs, Dodson came in from center field to record the final out of the inning on the mound, getting a ground out on just one pitch to end the threat.
 
The sophomore remained in the game to pitch a scoreless eighth, giving the ball to Erik Martinez for the ninth. Cal's closer left little to chance and turned in another dominant outing, striking out a pair in a 1-2-3 inning for his fourth save of the year.
 
Cal's quality relief pitching, which included an inning from left-hander Zayne Patino, came after another good outing from right-hander Joey Matulovich. The sophomore from Danville, Calif. improved to 4-0 on the year after working 5 2/3 innings in which he allowed three runs on seven hits. Matulovich struck out five and walked just one in the effort as the Bears pitched well even with the absence of pitching coach Thomas Eager, who missed the game to be with his wife, Jenna, as they celebrated the birth of their second son on Saturday afternoon.
 
One day after collecting 14 hits, Cal again had the bats working to the tune of an 11-hit afternoon. Dodson finished just a home run short of the cycle and went 3 for 4 with three runs and two RBI. Andrew Vaughn and Denis Karas also had two hits apiece.
 
"We're not good enough yet to have that easy win and just roll it for nine innings and that's OK. That gives us something to aspire to as we grow up a little bit," Cal head coach David Esquer said. "We're going to keep hitting those speed bumps and we've just got to be resilient. We cannot stay on the mat or on the ground very long when we get knocked down. It's going to happen and we've just got to continue to get back up."
 
Cal and Arizona State will reconvene on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. to wrap up their three-game series. The game will be broadcast live by Pac-12 Networks. Cal finishes its lengthy Bay Area stay on Tuesday with a non-conference game at East Bay neighbor Saint Mary's. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Louis Guisto Field.