BERKELEY – An impressive display of power carried the Cal baseball team to a big lead, and might have done some destruction to nearby buildings, as the Bears slugged four home runs en route to a 13-3 mid-week victory over Xavier at Evans Diamond.
 
Cal (7-4) returned from a three-game trip to Texas and got right back to work on Tuesday, bringing a little thunder to the proceedings right away. Andrew Vaughn got the evening started with a tape-measure shot to left-center field, blasting one over the scoreboard for a two-run home run that gave the Bears a 2-0 lead after one inning.
 
The onslaught continued in the third. Singles by Darren Baker and Tanner Dodson sandwiched around a walk to Vaughn and set the table for a four-run frame. The biggest blow of the inning came off the bat of freshman Sam Wezniak, who drove his third career home run over the fence in right to make it 6-0 Bears.
 
Offense continued to flow one inning later and the Bears left the yard twice more to pile on the runs. Tyrus Greene and Baker set the table for Vaughn and the 2017 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year had bad intentions yet again, this time blasting one over the fence in right-center and into the track stadium for a three-run homer. After an error extended the inning, Korey Lee joined the big fly parade with a towering drive over the scoreboard to add two more runs and make it 11-1.
 
An RBI single by Dodson and run-scoring double by Lee in the sixth finished the scoring for the Bears. The offensive outburst resulted in yet another impressive box score for the Bears as they collected 15 hits as a team. Lee went 3 for 3 with a double, home run, run scored and four RBI while Vaughn went 2 for 2 with two home runs, two walks, four runs scored and five RBI. Baker went 3 for 3 with three runs scored, and Tyrus Greene, Dodson and Wezniak each finished with two hits.
 
On the mound, Cal employed a staff approach to the game and got a couple strong outings in the process. Aaron Shortridge continued his excellent start to the season, pitching the first two innings and earning the win in the process. Erik Martinez, Andrew Buckley, Rogelio Reyes and Conor Neumann also contributed a scoreless inning apiece.
 
"Our offense has always been good, especially playing at Evans. The ball carries everywhere," Lee said. "Obviously we have Andrew Vaughn back, who always hits. We're really, really big on just getting on, getting guys over and scoring the run. That carries on to the pitching and the pitchers are doing a fantastic job throwing strikes and putting up zeroes. It's working out pretty well for us."
 
Cal remains at home this weekend as it welcomes another set of Bears, the Brown Bears, for four games at Evans Diamond. Game one is scheduled for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch on Friday while Saturday's doubleheader is set to begin at 2:05 p.m. Game two of the doubleheader will begin 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first and Sunday's series finale will start at 1:05 p.m.