DAVIS, Calif. – UC Davis baseball looks to keep their current momentum going, visiting CSUN for a critical Big West series, starting Friday, April 17 at 5 p.m. UC Davis has won five of their last six games, and are coming off a win against Pacific, and a series win prior to that against Cal State Bakersfield.
HOW TO WATCH/FOLLOW
UC Davis at CSUN | Matador Field | Northridge, Calif.
Fri., April 17 | 5:00 PM | at CSUN
Sat., April 18 | 2:00 PM | at CSUN
Sun., April 19 | 1:00 PM | at CSUN
THE RUNDOWN
- Late-Season Surge: The Aggies have hit their stride, winning five of their last six games to bring their overall record to 16-18.
- National Defensive Standing: UC Davis currently ranks 40th in the nation and 2nd in the Big West with a .977 fielding percentage.
- Double Play Machine: The team is among the country's best at turning double plays, ranking 32nd nationally and 3rd in the conference with 0.88 double plays per game.
- Elite Patience: The offense has a relentless approach, drawing 142 walks this season, which ranks 5th in the Big West .
- 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.
ANZAI ETCHES HIS NAME IN PROGRAM HISTORY
Right-hander Keenan Anzai delivered one of the signature pitching performances in recent program history on April 9, tossing a complete-game, one-hit shutout in a 5-0 victory over Cal State Bakersfield. Anzai struck out six and walked two across nine innings, throwing UC Davis' first complete game since Chris Brown did so against Utah Valley on March 3, 2019, and the first complete-game shutout by an Aggie since Robert Garcia blanked UC Santa Barbara on May 6, 2017. While serving as a workhorse with a team-high 44 strikeouts, Anzai has also raised his batting average to .268, providing a professional approach at the plate with four doubles and a home run.
SHUTDOWN MODE: ROWEN BARNES
Graduate right-hander Rowen Barnes has lowered his ERA to a staggering 0.90 over 16 appearances. Currently ranked 13th nationally and 2nd in the Big West with seven saves, Barnes has become one of the most feared closers in the country, holding opposing batters to a minuscule .164 average.
SPEED, POWER, AND THE CONFERENCE'S BEST TRIPLE THREAT
Tyler Howard has officially established himself as the premier triples hitter in the conference. He ranks 1st in the Big West and 11th nationally with four triples, and his 0.12 triples per game is the 20th best mark in the country. Howard continues to lead the Aggies in runs (26) and stolen bases, successfully swiping 10 bags in 12 attempts.
THE SHORTSTOP WHO DOES EVERYTHING: ELIJAH MCNEAL
Freshman Elijah McNeal continues to exceed expectations, leading the Aggies' regular starters with a .280 batting average and 35 hits. Defensively, he has been the engine of the Aggies' elite middle infield, recording 78 assists and helping turn 21 double plays, a key factor in the team's high national ranking in that category.
WRIGHT ON THE RISE
Joey Wright remains a defensive anchor at second base, matching McNeal with 21 double plays turned while maintaining a stellar .991 fielding percentage. At the plate, Wright has been a steady producer with a .368 on-base percentage, contributing seven doubles and 15 RBIs to the Aggie attack.
THE FRESHMAN DAZZLES: JACK PEZZOLO
Southpaw Jack Pezzolo continues to be a nightmare for opposing lineups, holding hitters to a team-best .156 batting average. Through 19.2 innings of work, the freshman has racked up 26 strikeouts, maintaining a 3.20 ERA as he transitions effectively between starting and high-leverage relief roles.
FELIX AND THE FLOW
Ethan Felix continues to provide a reliable glove and timely power at first base. Maintaining a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage over 78 chances, Felix has contributed two home runs and eight RBIs while hitting .255.
WOOLDRIDGE: THE TOUGHEST OUT
While his batting average sits at .185, Braydon Wooldridge remains one of the most disciplined hitters in college baseball. He ranks 35th nationally and 3rd in the Big West in the "Toughest to Strike Out" category, fanning only once every 12.0 at-bats.
THE BULLDOG: NOEL VALDEZ
Noel Valdez has been the definition of a Friday-night regular, ranking 1st in the Big West and 19th nationally with nine games started. He leads the staff with 49.2 innings pitched, providing the durability necessary to anchor the weekend rotation.
THE LERMANATOR: MASON LERMA
Mason Lerma continues to be a versatile weapon out of the bullpen, appearing in 16 games and posting a 3.51 ERA. With a 3-1 record and 35 strikeouts in 33.1 innings, his 9.45 K/9 rate remains a vital asset for the Aggies in late-inning situations.
STORJOHANN AND THE STEADY PEN
Peter Storjohann has stabilized the middle relief corps, posting a 2-1 record with a 3.63 ERA. He has been effective at limiting damage, allowing only seven earned runs across 14 appearances this season.
MIDDLE-OF-THE-ORDER MAINSTAY: EVAN GENTIL
Evan Gentil remains the team's most dangerous power threat, leading the Aggies with a .519 slugging percentage and three home runs. His defensive impact is equally significant, as he has caught seven runners stealing and maintains a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
PRODUCTIVE GRINDER: ZACH STORY
Zach Story continues to be the team's "table-setter," leading the Aggies with 22 walks and a .410 on-base percentage. His discipline has helped UC Davis draw 142 total walks this year, ranking 5th in the conference for free passes.
KOREY WILLIAMS MAKING HIS CASE
Korey Williams has emerged as a high-impact bat in the lineup, leading the team with a .305 batting average among players with at least 10 games played. In just 14 starts, he has already collected 18 hits and eight RBIs, solidifying his role in the Aggie offense.
WATCH OUT FOR THEM AGGIES — HISTORY AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
Under 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 2027, capping a five-season run under Nicholson that has seen the program grow from 6-35 in his first season to back-to-back 27-plus win campaigns in 2024 and 2025. The remaining Big West games 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. Along with Popkins, former Aggie Robert Garcia is a relief pitcher with the Texas Rangers and made an appearance for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. Tanner Murray, recently also made his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox.
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 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. 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.
