DAVIS, Calif. – Heading south to Cicerone Field for a critical Big West series, the UC Davis Aggies (11-14, 5-7 Big West) travel to face UC Irvine (10-12, 2-6 Big West) in a three-game conference set beginning Thursday, April 2.
HOW TO WATCH/FOLLOW
UC Davis at UC Irvine | Cicerone Field | Irvine, Calif.
Thu., April 2 | 6:00 PM | at UC Irvine
Fri., April 3 | 6:00 PM | at UC Irvine
Sat., April 4 | 1:00 PM | at UC Irvine
THE RUNDOWN
- After a challenging 0-3 opening against No. 3 Texas, UC Davis has gone 11-11 over its next 22 games and enters the UC Irvine series looking to build momentum in a key stretch of its final Big West season.
- The Aggies have shown a resilient identity in close games — they are 3-0 in one-run games this season and own a perfect 7-0 record when leading after the eighth inning, reflecting a reliable late-inning bullpen anchored by closer Rowen Barnes.
- UC Davis ranks 2nd in the Big West and 36th nationally in double plays per game (.88 DP/game), with 22 double plays turned on the season — a signature of the defensive philosophy Coach Tommy Nicholson has built into the program's DNA.
- Tyler Howard continues to be one of the most dangerous players in the Big West, leading the team with a .337 batting average, 23 runs, 33 hits, four triples, and nine stolen bases. His four triples tie for 1st in the Big West and rank 5th nationally.
- Freshman Jack Pezzolo has been one of the program's most exciting arms in memory, striking out 17 batters in 13.1 innings pitched with a 2.70 ERA while holding opponents to a .143 batting average across five starts.
- Closer Rowen Barnes has been dominant, posting a 1.33 ERA in 15 appearances with five saves — good for 22nd nationally — while limiting opponents to a .154 batting average over 20.1 innings.
- Despite missing the last nine games, Evan Gentil leads the team in RBIs (15), home runs (3), and slugging percentage (.519) and has been exceptional behind the plate, throwing out 7 of 13 would-be base stealers (53.8%) on the year.
- This season marks UC Davis baseball's final year in the Big West Conference before a move to the Mountain West in 2026-27, giving this series and every Big West series remaining added meaning.
SPEED, POWER, AND ELITE CONSISTENCY
Junior outfielder Tyler Howard enters the UC Irvine series as arguably the most complete player on the UC Davis roster. He leads the team in batting average (.337), runs (23), hits (33), triples (4), home runs (3), total bases (54), and stolen bases (9). His four triples are tied for 1st in the Big West and rank 5th nationally. Howard also ranks among the team leaders in walks (16) with a .435 on-base percentage, making him one of the most difficult leadoff outs in the conference — opponents have held him to a .520 on-base percentage as a leadoff hitter when he reaches the plate in that spot (13-for-25). His nine stolen bases in 11 attempts (81.8%) further amplify the pressure he applies each time he reaches base. In 2025, Howard led UC Davis in runs scored (28), triples (3), and stolen bases (8), and finished the year on a 12-game hitting streak. Coach Nicholson has described Howard as having the best power-speed blend on the roster.
SHUTDOWN MODE
Graduate right-hander Rowen Barnes has been one of the most reliable closers in the Big West, posting a 1.33 ERA across 15 appearances (20.1 IP) with five saves — tied for 2nd in the Big West and 22nd nationally. Barnes has held opposing batters to a .154 average and owns a 1.03 WHIP. He has finished 11 of his 15 appearances and has stranded inherited runners in key situations, converting 2 of 2 inherited runners scored opportunities. In Big West play alone, Barnes owns a 2.13 ERA with one save and a .190 opposing average in 12.2 innings. He was a consistent presence in 2025 as well, posting a 3.18 ERA across 24 appearances with two saves. Barnes is a native of Atherton, Calif., and previously attended Skyline College.
THE FRESHMAN DAZZLES
Freshman left-hander Jack Pezzolo has made five starts in 2026 and has quickly established himself as one of the most compelling arms in the UC Davis rotation. Across 13.1 innings, he has struck out 17 batters while posting a 2.70 ERA and holding opponents to a .143 batting average. His 11.47 strikeouts per nine innings rank among the elite in the conference. Pezzolo's debut — 4.0 scoreless innings with six strikeouts against No. 3 Texas — announced his arrival in emphatic fashion. He followed that with dominant outings against UC Riverside (2.0 IP, 3 K, 0 ER) and UC Santa Barbara (2.2 IP, 5 K, 0 ER) before a solid 4.0-inning outing in the Cal Poly series finale. A native of Petaluma, Calif., Pezzolo attended Cardinal Newman High School and is listed as a two-way player on the UC Davis roster.
THE TWO-WAY WEAPON
Sophomore Keenan Anzai is one of the most versatile players in the Big West, contributing as both a starter on the mound and a bat in the lineup. On the mound, Anzai has made eight appearances (five starts), posting a 6.59 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 28.2 innings — his 9.73 strikeouts per nine innings rank near the top of the conference. At the plate, Anzai is hitting .280 with three doubles, one home run, and six RBIs in 17 games (12 starts). He has turned into one of the most productive two-way options on the staff, and his bat gives Coach Nicholson added lineup flexibility.
THE MIDDLE-OF-THE-ORDER ANCHOR
Sophomore Evan Gentil leads the Aggies in RBIs (15), home runs (3), and slugging percentage (.519) through 25 games. His five doubles are second on the team behind Ryan Lee's seven. Behind the plate, Gentil has been a force defensively — throwing out 7 of 13 would-be base stealers (53.8%) on the year, with 122 putouts and a 1.000 fielding percentage in 15 games. Gentil's combination of pop and defensive ability at catcher gives UC Davis one of the better backstops in the conference.
ANCHOR AT SHORT
Freshman shortstop Elijah McNeal has been a revelation in his first season, starting all 23 games he has appeared in and leading the team with 62 assists and 16 double plays turned. He is hitting .267 with four doubles, two home runs, and 11 RBIs, ranking fourth on the team in batting average. McNeal was the Giants' 20th-round pick in 2025 and also participated in the Area Code Games — arriving in Davis as one of the program's most decorated incoming recruits. His instincts in the field and ability to make plays in the middle of the infield have been a significant reason why UC Davis ranks 2nd in the Big West in double plays per game.
THE BULLDOG
Redshirt senior Noel Valdez leads the team in games started (7), innings pitched (39.2 IP), and strikeouts (30) among starting pitchers, ranking 1st in the Big West in games started. He carries a 4.31 ERA with a 2.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio (30 K, 15 BB). Valdez was one of the most effective starters in the Big West in 2025, going 7-3 with a 3.72 ERA across 21 appearances (14 starts), and his durability has been valuable for a rotation that has been pieced together through the conference schedule.
THE LERMANATOR
Junior left-hander Mason Lerma returns as one of the most anticipated arms in the conference coming off a 2025 campaign for the ages — 28 appearances, a 1.01 ERA, and a near-untouchable performance in Big West play (1 ER in 21 innings, .197 opponent average). Lerma was ranked the No. 49 reliever in the country last spring and earned a Second Team All-Big West selection. He was recognized on the NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List ahead of 2026. This year he has appeared in 12 games, posting a 4.84 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 22.1 innings (9.27 K/9). His fastball sits in the upper 80s, but it's his command, pitchability, and high baseball IQ that make him one of the most difficult at-bats in the conference.
FORTUNE FAVORS THE PATIENT
The Aggie offense employs a relentless, wear-you-down approach at the plate. UC Davis has drawn 110 walks this season while being hit by pitches 21 times, generating extra baserunners at a consistent rate. Zach Story leads the team with four hit-by-pitches and is tied with Tyler Howard for the team lead in walks (16 each). The team's patient approach has been especially effective in late innings — the Aggies are 7-0 when they lead after the eighth inning. When they score six or more runs in a game, they are 7-1.
PRODUCTIVE GRINDER
Sophomore Zach Story has been a model of plate discipline and grit in the middle of the order, hitting .250 with four doubles, two home runs, 12 RBIs, 16 walks, and a .402 on-base percentage in 21 games. He leads the team in hit-by-pitches (4) and is tied for the team lead in walks (16). Story's ability to get on base — his .402 OBP is second on the team among qualified hitters — keeps the lineup churning and makes him one of the team's most valuable table-setters behind Howard.
VETERAN PRESENCE
Senior Braydon Wooldridge enters this series as one of the most experienced players on the roster. He led UC Davis in 2025 with 54 hits and 11 doubles while ranking 25th nationally in the "Toughest to Strike Out" category, fanning just once every 12.5 at-bats and earning Honorable Mention All-Big West recognition. He has also shown the ability to contribute on the mound, holding opponents to a .133 average with a 0.87 WHIP in 2025. Through 23 games this season, Wooldridge is hitting .135 with 12 walks, continuing to work deep into counts and provide veteran at-bats at the top of the order.
WATCH OUT FOR THEM AGGIES — HISTORY AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
Under Tommy Nicholson, UC Davis has made a habit of toppling programs ranked above them. In 2023, the Aggies defeated No. 19 UCLA. In 2024, they rallied from eight runs down in the ninth inning to stun No. 19 UC Irvine. In 2025, they used a six-run eighth-inning comeback to upend then-No. 13 UC Irvine — giving Nicholson three consecutive seasons with a win over a nationally ranked opponent. The Aggies also reached as high as No. 25 nationally in the RPI this season after taking two of three from then-No. 2 RPI UC Santa Barbara in mid-March.
FINAL SEASON IN THE BIG WEST
The 2026 season is the final chapter for UC Davis baseball in the Big West Conference. The Aggies will join the Mountain West Conference in 2026-27, capping a five-year run under Nicholson that has seen the program go from 6-35 in his first season to posting consecutive 27+ win seasons. The remaining Big West games — including this series at UC Irvine — carry added weight as the program's last in a conference it has called home since transitioning to Division I.
FROM DAVIS TO THE WORLD SERIES
The UC Davis program's reach extended to the highest level of the sport in 2025, as former Aggie standout David Popkins served as hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series. A two-time All-Big West selection who once set the program record with six hits in a single game, Popkins guided one of the most dramatic offensive turnarounds in MLB — the Blue Jays ranked among the top five in runs scored and OPS in his first season — serving as a point of pride for the current Aggie roster. Along with Popkins, a notable UC Davis alum in the MLB is relief pitcher, Robert Garcia on the Texas Rangers. Garcia also appeared for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.
CORI ROCKET DOG
The Aggies have their very own bat dog in Cori, a Labrador retriever now in her fourth year with the program. Cori retrieves bats during home games and serves as a morale anchor in the dugout. She was adopted by UC Davis veterinarian and professor Lisa Ann Tell, who brought the idea to Coach Nicholson. UC Davis is believed to be the only college program in the country with a dedicated bat-retrieving dog.
HOME SWEET HOME
UC Davis enters its second season of night baseball at Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium following a $2.1 million lighting upgrade completed in 2024. The LED system debuted in 2025, ending 38 years of daytime-only play and bringing the facility up to NCAA competition standards while limiting light spill. The addition has improved scheduling flexibility for student-athletes and driven increased attendance, including a record Friday crowd for the Gonzaga opener. Head coach Tommy Nicholson credited Athletic Director Rocko DeLuca for pushing the project forward, while players point to the lights as a symbol of the program's momentum. Along with a new videoboard and field upgrades, the enhancements position UC Davis for its move to the Mountain West.
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS
UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked No. 1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as No. 1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27.
