DAVIS, Calif. – UC Davis baseball returns home for a three-game Big West series with Long Beach State beginning Friday, April 24 at 6:00 p.m. at Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium. The Aggies (18-21, 8-13 Big West) have gone 6-4 over their last 10, highlighted by an 11-3 series-opening win at CSUN on April 17 and an 8-4 victory at Fresno State on April 20 powered by
Jaxon Murphy's grand slam. UC Davis enters the weekend set against a Long Beach State club that sits last in the conference at 6-15 (12-28 overall).
HOW TO WATCH/FOLLOW
UC Davis vs. Long Beach State | Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium | Davis, Calif.
Fri., April 24 | 6:00 PM | vs. Long Beach State
Sat., April 25 | 6:00 PM | vs. Long Beach State
Sun., April 26 | 1:00 PM | vs. Long Beach State
THE RUNDOWN
- A home-field chance to close the gap: The Aggies are 8-13 in Big West play and open the weekend 2.5 games clear of Long Beach State in the standings. A series win would push UC Davis back within striking distance of the conference's middle tier heading into the final stretch.
- National defensive standing: UC Davis ranks among the country's best defensive teams with a .976 fielding percentage.
- Double play engine: UC Davis has turned one of the nation's highest double-play totals, a hallmark of the Wright–McNeal middle-infield pairing.
- Patient at the plate: The offense has drawn 153 walks on the season, continuing the program's disciplined approach at the dish.
- Final Big West weekends: This season marks UC Davis baseball's final year in the Big West Conference before the program's move to the Mountain West in 2026-27, giving every remaining conference series added weight.
MURPHY'S GRAND SLAM SHAKES UP FRESNO STATE
Jaxon Murphy authored the defining at-bat of the week on April 20, launching a grand slam that powered UC Davis past Fresno State, 8-4. The junior outfielder is hitting .206 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 24 games, and his swing at Pete Beiden Field was the kind of mid-at-bat turn a lineup can build off of.
ANZAI'S COMPLETE-GAME SHUTOUT STILL THE SIGNATURE OF THE SEASON
Right-hander
Keenan Anzai's nine-inning, one-hit shutout of Cal State Bakersfield on April 9 remains one of the signature pitching performances in recent program history — UC Davis' first complete-game shutout since Robert Garcia blanked UC Santa Barbara on May 6, 2017. Anzai now carries a 4-2 record and a 4.25 ERA across 48.2 innings, with a team-high-tying 46 strikeouts. He ranks 26th nationally and third in the Big West with that complete game. Anzai has continued to contribute at the plate as well, hitting .250 with four doubles, a home run, and eight RBIs.
SHUTDOWN MODE: ROWEN BARNES
Graduate right-hander
Rowen Barnes has settled in as one of the nation's most effective closers. Over 18 appearances, Barnes owns a 1.13 ERA, seven saves, and a 2-0 record while limiting opposing hitters to a .193 average. He ranks 22nd nationally and second in the Big West in saves and has fanned 22 batters across 24.0 innings.
THE CONFERENCE'S TRIPLE THREAT: TYLER HOWARD
Tyler Howard has extended his hold on the Big West triples race, running his season total to five — tied for sixth in the nation and first in the conference. The junior outfielder leads UC Davis in runs (31) and stolen bases (10-for-12) while hitting .296 with three homers, nine doubles, and 18 RBIs. His .382 on-base percentage keeps the top of the order moving.
THE SHORTSTOP WHO DOES EVERYTHING: ELIJAH MCNEAL
Freshman
Elijah McNeal remains the Aggies' defensive engine at shortstop, posting 90 assists and taking part in 24 double plays — a core reason for UC Davis' national double-play ranking. At the plate, McNeal leads the regular starters with 38 hits and is batting .262 with four home runs and 18 RBIs.
WRIGHT'S GLOVE AND ON-BASE EDGE
Joey Wright continues to anchor the middle infield, turning 23 double plays and fielding at a .985 clip at second base. His .378 on-base percentage is the second-best among regular UC Davis starters, and he's contributed seven doubles, two home runs, and 16 RBIs to the lineup.
THE FRESHMAN DAZZLES: JACK PEZZOLO
Southpaw
Jack Pezzolo has stayed one of the tougher matchups in the Big West, holding opponents to a team-best .185 batting average. Through 23.2 innings, the freshman has tallied 30 strikeouts and a 4.18 ERA, toggling between starting assignments and high-leverage relief outings.
FELIX AND THE FLOW AT FIRST
Ethan Felix has been an unflappable presence at first base, maintaining a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage across 86 total chances. At the plate, he's hitting .259 with two home runs, nine RBIs, and a .353 on-base percentage.
WOOLDRIDGE: THE TOUGHEST OUT
Braydon Wooldridge remains one of the most disciplined hitters in college baseball. Fanning only once every 13.6 at-bats, the senior outfielder ranks 27th nationally and third in the Big West in the "Toughest to Strike Out" category.
THE BULLDOG: NOEL VALDEZ
Noel Valdez remains the Aggies' Friday-night anchor, ranking first in the Big West and third nationally with 11 games started. He's logged a staff-high 54.2 innings with 46 strikeouts, and while the record (1-5) doesn't reflect it, he's been the durability the rotation relies on.
THE LERMANATOR: MASON LERMA
Mason Lerma has grown into one of the Big West's steadiest setup arms, appearing in 18 games with a 3.16 ERA, a 3-1 record, and 38 strikeouts over 37.0 innings — a 9.24 K/9 rate. His ability to absorb middle innings and bridge to Barnes has been a signature of Aggie bullpen work.
STORJOHANN AND THE STEADY PEN
Peter Storjohann has kept the middle-relief corps stable, posting a 2-1 record with a 3.20 ERA across 17 appearances. He's fanned 19 batters in 19.2 innings while limiting the damage in key situations.
MIDDLE-OF-THE-ORDER POWER: EVAN GENTIL
Evan Gentil leads UC Davis with a .519 slugging percentage and three home runs while pairing that power with an elite glove behind the plate. The sophomore catcher has caught seven baserunners stealing and holds a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage over 134 chances.
PRODUCTIVE GRINDER: ZACH STORY
Zach Story continues to set the table for the Aggie offense, leading the team with a .397 on-base percentage and 23 walks. His patient approach remains a cornerstone of UC Davis' conference-leading walk total.
KOREY WILLIAMS MAKING HIS CASE
Korey Williams has forced his way into the everyday mix, hitting .290 through 23 games with 20 hits, two doubles, a home run, and 11 RBIs. His .372 on-base percentage mirrors the Aggies' patient team identity.
KEEP AN EYE ON: KAI MAULT
Freshman
Kai Mault has been the most consistent bat among UC Davis' first-year position players, hitting .289 with two home runs, five doubles, two triples, and 17 RBIs across 32 games. His .443 slugging and perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in the outfield speak to a two-way presence the Aggies have leaned on.
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.
