California Golden Bears Athletics

Coming off a 1-2 weekend to open Pac-12 play, the Bears host USF in a non-conference game Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. that's being broadcast live on the Pac-12 Network. Cal lost to USC on Friday and Saturday by scores of 9-4 and 1-0, but finished on a high note with an exciting 9-8 victory Sunday to avoid the sweep. Freshman reliever Jack Hinrichsen entered a one-run game in the top of the ninth with one out Sunday and stranded the bases loaded to seal the Bears' victory. 

After being held to a combined 11 hits in the first two games of the series, Cal broke out offensively with four home runs Sunday -- one each by Brandon McIlwain, Cameron Eden, Cole Elvis and Sean Sullivan. The Bears rank second in the Pac-12 in homers with 20, trailing only Arizona State (32). They're third in slugging percentage (.422), sixth in runs (106) and sixth in hitting (.270). Pitching-wise, Cal enters Tuesday with a 3.95 team ERA that ranks sixth in the conference. Where the Bears' young pitching staff has excelled is in limiting the free passes. They've issued the third-fewest walks in the Pac-12 at 55.

One player who's heating up in the middle of the order is junior catcher Korey Lee. Over his past eight games, Lee is batting .423 (11-for-26) with two homers and five RBI. Though junior first baseman Andrew Vaughn has been relatively quiet of late, going 6-for-24 over the past seven games, the reigning Golden Spikes Award winner has still posted some of the best across-the-board numbers of any hitter in college baseball.

PROBABLE STARTERS
Tuesday, March 19
USF: LHP Grant Young (1-1, 6.52)
Cal:  RHP Jack Delmore (1-1, 6.75)

SCOUTING THE DONS

Last meeting: Cal swept two games from USF last season, winning 9-7 at home and 5-4 in San Francisco.

USF 2018 Record: 28-30, 15-12 WCC
• The Dons are coming off a series win at home over Portland, winning by scores of 2-1 and 5-4. Those close victories sandwiched a lopsided 20-2 loss.
• Senior Riley Helland was a first-team all-conference pick last season as a catcher, hitting .329 with 34 RBI and a slugging percentage of .441. This year he's also seeing some time at first base and DH. Helland is off to a slow start, hitting .219 with a homer and 11 RBI.

NEXT UP
Cal hits the road for a three-game series starting Friday at Oregon State, the defending College World Series champions.