BERKELEY – The California baseball team (4-3) dropped a 7-4 decision to Houston (4-2) in the rubber match of its series with the Cougars on Sunday afternoon at Stu Gordon Stadium. The series loss ended a string of four consecutive series victories dating back to the final three of the 2024 campaign.

Dominic Smaldino gave the Bears hope for a comeback victory with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning after Jarren Advincula and PJ Moutzouridis had drawn back-to-back one out walks but Houston closer Richie Roman came on to get the final two outs. Roman has picked up saves in all four of Houston's wins this season including a pair against the Bears.

The teams traded runs in the third inning with Tre Broussard leading off the Cougar half of the inning with a solo homer to right field to start the scoring before the Bears picked up an unearned run when Cade Campbell started the bottom half of the frame with a single, moved to second on a ground out and scored on a two-out error by Connor McGinnis at shortstop.

The score remained 1-1 until Houston put up four runs in the top of the fifth with the first three coming on Cade Climie's home run down the left field line off Cal reliever Cole Tremain. Tyler Cox and Brossard had started the inning with back-to-back singles to chase Cal starter and losing pitcher Oliver de la Torre (0-2). McGinnis restarted the rally when he drew a walk off Tremain before moving to third on Tremain's throwing error on a pickoff attempt at first base and scoring on Carsten Sabathia's sacrifice fly to left field.

Houston maintained its 5-1 advantage until adding a pair of runs on McGinnis' two-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth off Cal reliever Tucker Bougie.

Houston starter Graysen Drezek (1-0) earned the win with 5.0 innings of work, allowing just two hits and one unearned run while striking out one. Antoine Jean (3.1 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) was dominant over the next three-and-a-third hitless innings as the first of three Cougar relievers but was removed from the game with one out in the ninth after his back-to-back one-out walks to Advincula and Moutzouridis. Diego Luzardo came on in relief but gave up the three-run homer to Smaldino on his fourth pitch and was removed in favor of Roman, who struck out Max Handron for the second out and allowed a two-out single to Matthew Thomas before striking out Cade Campbell with the tying run on deck.

Houston's first three hitters in the lineup – Broussard (3-5, 2B, HR, RBI, 2 SB), Climie (2-5, HR, 3 RBI) and McGinnis (3-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) – each homered and combined to go 8-for-14 with three home runs, six RBI, a pair of doubles and two stolen bases. No other Cougar had multiple-hit or multiple-RBI games.

Oliver de la Torre (0-2) took the loss as the second of five Cal pitchers who threw in relief of Golden Bears' starter Ethan Foley (3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO). De la Torre gave up a pair of runs on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in his 1.0-plus innings of work. Spencer Dessart (3.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 SO) had the most effective Cal outing.

Campbell (2-4) accounted for half of the Bears' four hits.

"Win or lose we are going to learn something and today, unfortunately, we have to learn while we lose," head coach Mike Neu said.

"We need to get back to winning these series and doing what we were doing last year." Smaldino added.

Cal continues its season-opening 10-game homestand by hosting Cal State Bakersfield (2-5) at Stu Gordon Stadium on Wednesday, Feb. 26. First pitch on ACCNX/ESPN+ is scheduled for 6 p.m. All youth in the eighth grade or under will receive free admission as part of the first Little League Night of the season. The Cal men's basketball team also hosts SMU at Haas Pavilion on the same day at 8 p.m. and anyone who has purchased a men's basketball ticket at the box office can buy a discounted $5 ticket for the baseball game. Information on additional 2025 Cal baseball promotions can be found online at CalBears.com.

The Bears will then make final preparations for their first ACC games in school history at No. 17/19/18 Duke (March 7-9) with a four-game series February 28 – March 3 against Santa Clara. The first two games of the Santa Clara series will be in Berkeley to conclude the 10-game homestand followed by two games at Santa Clara.

Tickets for all 2025 Cal baseball home games are on sale at CalBears.com.
 
NOTES

• Cal's series loss to Houston was its first since dropping two of three at Stanford from Apr. 26-28, 2024
• Cade Campbell's two-hit game was his fourth of the season to equal Jarren Advincula's four that are tied for the team lead
• Cal had won the last seven games it had played on Feb. 23 dating back to a 2013 loss on the date in the second game of a doubleheader at UC Irvine
• Smaldino's home run was his second of the season and fifth of his career, while his three RBI tied a career high set earlier in the season against Nevada on Feb. 15, 2025