BERKELEY - Pac-12 play continues for the Cal baseball team with a visit to an old friend as the Bears make the trek to Silicon Valley to take on former coach David Esquer and No. 2-ranked Stanford. The series, which runs Thursday to Saturday with each game starting at 7:05 p.m., will be broadcast live by Pac-12 Network with J.B. Long and J.T. Snow calling the action. 

Cal heads to the Farm riding a four-game series winning streak in conference play after taking two of three from Washington over the weekend. Wins on Friday and Saturday clinched the series victory and the entire week featured another incredible performance by first baseman Andrew Vaughn. The sophomore earned National Player of the Week honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and received the Pac-12 Player of the Week award for the third time this season after going 11 for 17 with three home runs, three doubles, seven RBIs, six runs scored and two walks in four games (one vs. Santa Clara).

The Bears will look to rebound from a Tuesday setback as Cal dropped a 4-1 decision against Sacramento State. Korey Lee provided Cal's lone run with a solo home run and the duo of Arman Sabouri and Erik Martinez tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to keep the Bears within reach.

PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday, April 26, 7:05 p.m.
Cal: LHP Matt Ladrech (5-3, 4.88 ERA)
Stanford: RHP Brendan Beck (5-0, 1.21)

Friday, April 27, 7:05 p.m.
Cal: RHP Jared Horn (5-4, 4.92)
Stanford: RHP Tristan Beck (5-2, 2.92)

Saturday, April 28, 7:05 p.m.
Cal: RHP Aaron Shortridge (2-1, 2.40)
Stanford: LHP Kris Bubic (5-0, 2.52)

SCOUTING THE CARDINAL
Last Meeting: Cal and Stanford met five times in 2017 with the Cardinal claiming four wins. The Bears won the final meeting of the season though, riding four scoreless innings of relief from Erik Martinez to a 5-3 win.

Stanford's 2018 Record: 31-5, 12-3

• Former Cal head coach David Esquer has his alma mater firing on all cylinders as Stanford has spent most of the year ranked in the top five nationally. The Cardinal enter the week ranked No. 2 and on an eight-game winning streak.
• Pitching has led the way for Stanford throughout the season and the weekend starter trio of Tristan Beck, Kris Bubic and Erik Miller has set the tone although Brendan Beck will throw the first game of this week's series and be followed by Tristan Beck and Bubic. Jack Little serves as the team's closer and owns a 0.71 with 12 saves. Stanford's team ERA of 2.61 ranks third in the nation.
• At the plate, Stanford is led by a trio of hitters with averages above .300 - Beau Branton (.380), Nico Hoerner (.309) and Tim Tawa (.304). Andrew Daschbach leads the Cardinal with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs.

LAST TIME OUT
Cal Wins Fourth Straight Pac-12 Series, Drops Mid-Week Contest

• Victories on Friday and Saturday clinched the fourth-straight winning weekend for the Bears as they added a series win over Washington to triumphs over UCLA, Utah and Washington State. Cal won 11-4 on Friday, 5-2 on Saturday and dropped a 4-3 decision in 10 innings on Sunday.
• Andrew Vaughn enjoyed yet another incredible weekend to help the Bears earn the series win. Combined with Tuesday's game against Santa Clara, Vaughn went 11 for 17 with three home runs, three doubles, seven RBIs, six runs scored and two walks. Vaughn's standout week earned him National Player of the Week honors for the second time in his career and Pac-12 Player of the Week honors for the third time this season (fourth overall).
• On the mound, Cal's contingent of Napa natives fared quite well against the Huskies. Jared Horn delivered one of his strongest performances of the season on Saturday, tossing seven innings and allowing just two runs on seven hits. One day later, Aaron Shortridge took a perfect game into the sixth, no-hitter into the seventh and finished what would eventually be a no-decision with eight innings pitched, one run allowed and seven strikeouts to no walks.
• Cal returned to action on Tuesday but a cold night in Berkeley saw the Bears drop a 4-1 decision to Sacramento State. Korey Lee provided Cal's lone run with a solo home run and the bullpen duo of Arman Sabouri and Erik Martinez contributed 7 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

NEXT UP
Cal returns to Evans Diamond for its final mid-week game of the 2018 season when BYU visits on May 1 for a 7:05 p.m. contest that will be broadcast live by Pac-12 Network. The Bears hit the road again next weekend for three games at USC and then wrap up the home schedule from May 11-13 against Arizona.