BERKELEY – The California baseball team makes its final trip to Phoenix Municipal Stadium as a Pac-12 Conference opponent when it takes on Arizona State for a three-game series starting Thursday.
 
The Golden Bears (15-7, 5-4 Pac-12) are playing just their fifth true road game starting Thursday. Cal defeated Santa Clara 6-4 thanks to a three-run walk-off home run from freshman Jarren Advincula. It is the Bears' third walk-off win this season.
 
Arizona State (11-14, 3-6) is coming off a thrilling road win of its own. The Sun Devils came back from six down to defeat UNLV in Las Vegas on Monday. At home this year, ASU is 7-9.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW

• Thursday, March 28, 6:30 p.m. PT:  ASU Live Stream | CalBears.com
• Friday, March 29, 6:30 p.m.:  ASU Live Stream | CalBears.com
• Saturday, March 30, 1:05 p.m.:  ASU Live Stream | CalBears.com  

 
QUICK HITS
 

• Cal returns to the road for three games against Arizona State. The Bears are 2-2 on the road this year, averaging seven runs per game while hitting .254.
• The Bears are fresh off a thrilling 6-4 win over Bay Area rival Santa Clara. Jarren Advincula hit a 3-run home run for the walk-off win - the third walk-off win of the season for the Golden Bears.
• Late-inning heroics have been a theme for the Bears in 2024 - Cal is hitting .322 in innings 6-9, scoring 73 runs, 69 RBI, 17 doubles, 2 triples and 17 home runs. PJ Moutzouridis is hitting .857 in the ninth inning.
• After starting conference play 4-0, the Bears enter this weekend with a 5-4 record in the Pac-12, which has the Bears sitting in fourth place.
• Cal hit two home runs in the win over Santa Clara, and the Bears are 9-2 this season when hitting two or more home runs in a game.
• On the mound, the Bears sport a staff ERA of 4.66, which ranks 58th in the nation. Cal is averaging 10.9 strikeouts per game, which ranks 43^rd in the nation. The Bears sport a 9.3 K/9 ratio, which also ranks in the top 100 in the nation.
• The Bears' RPI as of 3/26 is 43^rd, which is third in the Pac-12. The lowest the Bears' RPI has been this season is 28, which came on March 21. The highest was 59, which came on Mar. 12.
• Cal lost its first home series of the year last weekend when Utah took two of three from the Bears. Cal is 10-2 at home this season.

 
 
SERIES HISTORY

• Thursday will be the 199th meeting between the Bears and Sun Devils. ASU owns a 127-71 advantage in the series that predates the Sun Devils joining the Pac-12. In the Mike Neu era, the Golden Bears are 6-8 against Arizona State. Last season, the Sun Devils took two of three from the Bears at Stu Gordon Stadium, including the rubber match on April 2, 2023, winning 15-10.

 
UP NEXT
Cal returns home for four games starting with a nonconference clash against Pacific on Tuesday. Tuesday's game against the Tigers will be streamed on the Cal Live Stream and is scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.
 
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