LA JOLLA, Calif.—UC San Diego baseball will return to Triton Ballpark for a three-game series with UC Riverside beginning Thursday at 6 p.m. The Tritons (16-6, 3-3 Big West) are set to take on the Highlanders (9-12, 0-3 Big West) for the third week of Big West competition.
 
The teams will meet again on Friday at 2 p.m. and wrap up the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
 
DETAILS
Games 23-25
UC San Diego (16-6, 3-3) vs UC Riverside (9-12, 0-3)
Thursday at 6 p.m. | Friday at 2 p.m. | Saturday at 1 p.m.
Triton Ballpark (500) | La Jolla, Calif.
All-time series: 12-15 (9-2 in D-I)
Last season: UC San Diego took the series, 3-0
Game 1 on ESPN+ | Game 2 on ESPN+ | Game 3 on ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego will travel to face Long Beach State in a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. The Tritons will take on the Beach again on Saturday at 6 p.m. and wrap up the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live statistics available via UCSDTritons.com.
 

ABOUT THE TRITONS	ABOUT UC RIVERSIDE
Roster | Schedule | Stats	Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 16-6	Overall: 9-12
Big West: 3-3	Big West: 0-3
Home: 15-3	Home: 8-9
Away: 1-3	Away: 1-3
Neutral: 0-0	Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0	vs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
Streak: L1	Streak: L6

 
LAST TIME OUT
UC San Diego dropped its first series of the season, falling in two of three at UC Davis. The Tritons fell in the series opener on Saturday, 0-2, before bouncing back on Sunday, 2-1. In Monday's finale, the teams battled in a 1-1 tie for 11 innings before the Aggies secured the walk off victory, 1-2.
 
Weekend Top Performers
Michael Crossland: 4-for-11 (.364), 1 2b, .455 slg%, 1 bb, .417 ob%
Bradlee Preap: 2-for-10 (.200), 1 rbi, 1 2b, .300 slg%, 2 bb, 1 hbp, .385 ob%
 
Izaak Martinez: 1.23 era, 1-1, 3 app, 7.1 ip, 3 h, 1 r, 0 bb, 5 so, .115 b/avg
Matthew Dalquist: 1.23 era, 0-0, 1 gs, 7.1 ip, 7 h, 1 r, 1 bb, 5 so, .269 b/avg
Zack Ernisse: 2.25 era, 0-0, 1 gs, 4.0 ip, 3 h, 1 r, 2 bb, 3 so, .214 b/avg
 
MARTINEZ AMONG NATION'S BEST
Reliever Izaak Martinez ranks among the top pitchers in the nation, leading the NCAA in WHIP (0.53) and hits allowed in nine innings (2.97). The lefthander also ranks second in earned run average (0.59) and seventh in saves (5). Martinez leads the Tritons in appearances (12) and innings pitched (30.1).
 
TRITONS TOUGH OUT OF THE 'PEN
UC San Diego currently leads the Big West with a 3.23 team earned run average. Izaak Martinez holds the top spot in six different statistical categories, including earned run average (0.59), opposing batting average (.102), saves (5), hits allowed (10), runs allowed (3) and earned runs allowed (2).
 
Three Tritons rank among the top five in ERA, with Martinez in first (0.59), Ryan Forcucci in fourth (2.16), and Anthony Eyanson in fifth (2.22). The trio also ranks among the top ten in opponent batting average (1-Martinez, .102; 2-Forcucci, .159; 7-Eyanson, .214) and hold the top three spots in earned runs allowed (1-Martinez, 2; 2-Forcucci, 6; 3-Eyanson, 7).
 
Forcucci ranks sixth in strikeouts (37), with Eyanson just behind him in eighth (36) and Martinez in ninth (34). Martinez ranks second with 13 batters struck out looking and Forcucci is just behind him in fifth with 12. Eyanson ranks second—behind Martinez—in runs allowed (7) and Forcucci ranks third in hits allowed (14), while Eyanson ranks sixth (21).
 
UC San Diego currently ranks third nationally in walks allowed per nine innings (2.83), fourth in earned run average (3.23), fourth in WHIP (1.14), fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.41), and 13th in hits allowed per nine innings (7.39). 
 
NO SHORTAGE OF OFFENSE
UC San Diego currently ranks fourth in the Big West with a .287 batting average. The Tritons rank third in home runs (22) and slugging percentage (.443).
 
Matt Halbach ranks fourth in the conference with a .408 batting average, while Emiliano Gonzalez ranks 14th (.352) and Michael Crossland ranks 18th (.333). Halbach also ranks fourth in slugging percentage (.662), third in OPS (1.173), sixth in on-base percentage (.511) and ninth in hits (29).
 
Nick Costello ranks second in home runs (5) and fifth in walks (19). Crossland ranks first in stolen bases (10) and third in runs scored (24), while Halbach ranks seventh (23).
 
DOWN TO THE WIRE
The Tritons have outscored their opponents 153-82 this season, including outscoring opponents 25-10 in the third, 28-10 in the fifth and 25-5 in the eighth inning. Five of UC San Diego's six losses this season have been by one run, with four in extra innings. The Tritons are 5-5 in one-run ballgames and 4-1 in two-run contests.
 
COMEBACK KIDS
UC San Diego recorded its largest comeback victory of the Division I era this season, defeating San Jose State 12-11 on Feb. 18 after falling behind early to the Spartans, 11-0. The Tritons also erased a six-run deficit to defeat Cal State Fullerton, 10-9, on Mar. 16.
 
DALQUIST NAMED UCU ATHLETE OF THE WEEK (MAR. 25)
Starter Matthew Dalquist pitched a career-high 7.1 innings to help UC San Diego earn a 2-1 victory at UC Davis on Mar. 24. The right-hander tallied five strikeouts, while allowing one walk and just two extra-base hits—seven total—in his no-decision start. Dalquist's outing was his first appearance working seven innings since 2022—he sat out the entire 2023 season due to injury.
 
NEWMAN REACHES TWO MILESTONES IN 2024
Head coach Eric Newman enters his 13th season at the helm of the Triton baseball program in 2024 and recorded his 400th victory at UC San Diego on Mar. 3 against Stephen F. Austin. He recorded his 500th career victory on Mar. 16 against Cal State Fullerton. Newman currently holds a 407-246 (.620) record at UC San Diego and a 502-318 (.609) all-time career record after coaching three seasons at Dallas Baptist (2005-2007). 
 
FORCUCCI SETS DIVISION I RECORD
Junior right-hander Ryan Forcucci set the program's Division I single game record with 11 strikeouts in his season debut against San Jose State on Feb. 16. The San Marcos, Calif. native pitched a perfect game through 4.0 innings, facing just one batter over the minimum in his 5.0 innings of shutout baseball. Of his 64 pitches, 48 were thrown for strikes and he finished the night with 11 strikeouts, one hit, no walks and no runs. For his efforts, Forcucci was named Big West Pitcher of the Week—the first conference weekly honor of his career—as well as UCU Athlete of the Week.
 
FORCUCCI, HALBACH AMONG TOP PROSPECTS
Junior right-hander Ryan Forcucci is among the top draft prospects in the nation, ranking No. 46 on D1 Baseball's list of the top 200 college prospects and No. 55 in the MLB's similar rankings. In 2023, Forcucci led the team with 68 strikeouts which ranked 12th in the Big West. Forcucci made 14 appearances and nine starts, holding opponents to a .206 batting average which was third among all Big West pitchers. He pitched 53.2 innings for the Tritons and finished the season with a 3.86 earned run average which ranked 12th.
 
Third baseman Matt Halbach has also drawn attention from MLB scouts, ranking 124th on D1 Baseball's top 200 prospects list. Halbach finished his sophomore season with a .306 batting average, good enough for third on the team and tallied 63 total hits which ranked 14th in the Big West. Halbach started 51 of the Tritons' 52 games—the most on the team—and recorded 15 doubles and five home runs, while leading the conference with five triples. His 41 runs scored tied for 16th in the conference and his .500 slugging percentage ranked 19th in the Big West.
 
EXPERIENCED ROSTER
The Tritons return 26 scholar-athletes from their 2023 roster, including six starting position players and two starting pitchers from the Big West championship team that finished 21-9 in conference play last season. UC San Diego's 2024 roster includes 2023 All-Big West first team members Matt Halbach and Izaak Martinez, second team honoree Ryan Forcucci and honorable mention Patrick Hackworth.
 
FRESH FACES
UC San Diego will add 13 newcomers to its roster for the 2024 season, including 10 true freshmen and three junior college/college transfers. The Triton additions include five pitchers and eight position players. 
 
TRIO OF TRITONS LAND ON PRESEASON COACHES' TEAM
Ryan Forcucci, Matt Halbach and Izaak Martinez were all named to the 2024 All-Big West Preseason Coaches' Team. Halbach and Martinez were All-Big West first team honorees last spring, while Forcucci earned a spot on second team in 2023. The Tritons were one of three teams with three players on the preseason team, including UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine.

TRITONS PICKED 3RD IN PRESEASON POLL
UC San Diego was picked to finish third in the Big West Preseason Coaches Poll with 78 total points. UC Santa Barbara was picked to finish first with 99 points and nine of the first-place votes, while UC Irvine received the other two first-place votes and 89 points to rank second.
 
Just behind the Tritons in fourth place was Hawai'i (70 points), followed by CSUN (65), Cal State Fullerton (59), Cal Poly (46), Long Beach State (42), UC Davis (25), Cal State Bakersfield (21) and UC Riverside (11).
 
NEWMAN LEADING THE WAY
Head coach Eric Newman enters his 13th season at the helm of the Triton baseball program, compiling a 396-243 (.620) record at UC San Diego and earning 2023 Big West Coach of the Year. Newman has also been named ABCA/Diamond West Region Coach of the Year three times (2017, 2018, 2019) during his tenure in La Jolla.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
The Tritons will play 18 of their first 20 games inside Triton Ballpark. UC San Diego will open the season against San Jose State (Feb. 16-18) and remain home for its weekend series through the first week of conference play against Cal State Fullerton (Mar. 15-17). The Tritons two road trips during that span will be to USC on Feb. 20 and across town to San Diego State on Mar. 6.
 
ON THE MOVE
After 20 seasons playing as an NCAA Division II team, the entire athletics program is in its final year of a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full DI status as a member of the Big West Conference for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE
While at the Division II level, UC San Diego baseball experienced great success for 20 years as a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The Tritons amassed six regular season titles in arguably the toughest conference nationally in the NCAA Division II. UC San Diego made five appearances in the NCAA D-II World Series, and most recently appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2019. 
 
During his nine seasons coaching the Tritons at Division II, Eric Newman was named ABCA/Diamond West Region Coach of the Year for three consecutive seasons (2017-2019) and also twice recognized as CCAA Coach of the Year (2012, 2019).

WHY THE TRITONS
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.

GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO BASEBALL
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through Twitter and Instagram. The team's handle is @ucsdbsb.
 
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!

GEAR
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, click here.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.