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Please be aware that due to Yolo County guidelines and game day protocols, fans are unable to attend home events this season.
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Games 1-4
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Washington State Cougars (0-0)
at
UC Davis Aggies (0-0)
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Friday, Feb. 19 – 2 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 20 – 11:30 a.m. / 2:30 p.m. (DH)
Sunday, Feb. 21 – 12 p.m.
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Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium – Davis, Calif.
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Watch (All Four Games)
Live Stats (All Four Games)
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DAVIS, Calif. – UC Davis will open the 2021 campaign with the first four of a season-opening 18-game homestand against Washington State, first pitch for Friday's season opener is set for 2 p.m. The series will continue on Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. doubleheader before concluding with Sunday's 12 p.m. series finale.
Since they are unable to attend home games in person this season, UC Davis baseball fans can watch all four games against the Cougars on
BigWest.TV, or follow the action from Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium through
live stats.
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When the 2020 season ended prematurely 11 months ago, UC Davis led the Big West Conference in three categories with a .289 team average, .370 on base percentage, and 166 hits. They struck out by far the fewest times at 96 and were a close second to CSUN in slugging percentage at .384. Once they open this year's non-conference action against a WSU team that finished last year with a 9-7 record, the Aggies would love nothing more than to continue last year's success throughout the upcoming months.
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Returning for 10th-year head coach
Matt Vaughn is an experienced group of pitchers in
Brett Erwin (2-0, 2.14 ERA in 2020),
Jake Spillane (2-2, 3.81, team-high 21 K) and
Nolan Meredith (1-1, 2.95).
Combined with
Nick Johnson (1-0, 0.73, 2 SV), who allowed only one earned run over 12.1 innings,
Kaden Riccomini (19 K in 19.1 IP) and
Zach Carrell, who struckout 10 batters in 10 innings pitched and allowed only one earned run over his final eight innings, this year's staff provides Coach Vaughn with plenty of options throughout the upcoming season — one of the most unique in the program's history.
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In addition to UC Davis playing all 14 non-conference games at Phil Swimley Field, every Big West matchup will feature a doubleheader between respective series openers and finales. Once league action commences, the Aggies are allowed to face only one opponent per week (this is why there are zero midweek games on this year's schedule).
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UC Davis will host San José State in early May, but this non-conference series will take place during its designated BWC bye week.
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Also returning for the Aggies this season are a slew of bats that will help them compete within one of the toughest conferences in college baseball.
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A mainstay in last year's lineup,
Spencer Gedestad led all starters with his .417 average, 25 hits and scored 11 times. In his 10 games played last season, catcher
Michael Campagna batted .367 and finished his true freshman season with nine RBI.
Alejandro Lara hit .283 over his 15 games played, drove in nine runs and scored another eight;
Logan Denholm and
Jalen Smith hit .295 and .290, respectively, and recorded 11 runs apiece — the second-highest total trailing
Tanner Murray, who was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft, and his 13.
Washington State is led by first baseman Kyle Manzardo, who enjoyed a breakout performance during his shortened sophomore season. The Cougars' first All-American since 2006 finished with a .435 average, seven doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI and led all Pac-12 players with 27 hits.
UC Davis won four of the nine previously played games and will face WSU for the first time since 2008 when the teams split a four-game series played in Pullman, Washington. The Cougars last visited Davis on the final weekend of the 2007; after splitting the first two games — both needed extra innings — the Aggies won the final game of each team's season,
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ABOUT UC DAVIS
Over 700 student-athletes across 25 intercollegiate athletics teams, following the addition of equestrian and women's beach volleyball in 2018, are enrolled in 71 of more than 100 academic programs at the fifth-ranked public school in the nation.
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Centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and the Napa Valley, UC Davis is known nationwide as a leader in Title IX gender equity and leadership, ranks annually in the top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility and offers an unrivaled student-athlete experience that features the ideal combination of elite academics, Division I athletics and personal growth.
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UC Davis is uncommonly committed to preparing student-athletes for life after graduation with Aggie EVO — an innovative student-athlete outcomes program that helps young women and men develop passions, gain real-world experience, and enjoy a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school. Through Aggie EVO, Intercollegiate Athletics provides unmatched resources and a vast network of working professionals to ensure post-graduation success for its student-athletes.
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