LA JOLLA, Calif.— UC San Diego baseball will wrap up a stretch of nine games on the road and return to Big West play at first-place Cal Poly this weekend.
 
The Tritons (14-13, 5-4 Big West) will face the Mustangs (19-8, 9-0 Big West) beginning Friday at 6 p.m. at Baggett Stadium. The series will continue Saturday at 3 p.m. and wrap up Sunday at 1 p.m. The Tritons will return to San Diego for a midweek game at USD on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
 
Friday and Tuesday's games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available for all games via UCSDTritons.com.
 
DETAILS
Games 28-30
UC San Diego (14-13, 5-4) at Cal Poly (19-8, 9-0)
Friday at 6 p.m. | Saturday at 3 p.m. | Sunday at 1 p.m.
Baggett Stadium (3,138) | San Luis Obispo, Calif.
All-time series: 9-4
Last meeting: UC San Diego took the series, 2-1 (May 17-19, 2024)
Streak: L1
Game 1 on ESPN+ | Live Stats 1 | Live Stats 2 | Live Stats 3
 
Game 31
UC San Diego at University of San Diego (6-22)
Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Fowler Park (1,700) | San Diego, Calif.
All-time series: 5-37-2
Division I series: 0-10
Last meeting: UCSD 8, USD 9 (13 Inn.)(May 7, 2024)
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego will return to Triton Ballpark for a three-game series with CSUN, April 11-13. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
 

ABOUT THE TRITONS	ABOUT CAL POLY
Roster | Schedule | Stats	Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 14-13	Overall: 19-8
Big West: 5-4	Big West: 9-0
Home: 9-5	Home: 7-3
Away: 5-8	Away: 12-5
Neutral: 0-0	Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 3-1	vs. Ranked Opponents: 2-4
Streak: W1	Streak: W5

 
SERIES PROBABLES
Fri: RHP Matthew Dalquist (UCSD) vs RHP Griffin Naess (CP)
Sat: RHP Nic Gregson (UCSD) vs LHP Josh Volmerding (CP)
Sun: RHP Steele Murdock (UCSD) vs RHP Ethan Marmie (CP)
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Tritons went 1-3 in the non-conference series at Santa Clara, dropping the first three contests by scores of 10-5, 12-2 (8 Inn.) and 5-4 before salvaging the Sunday finale, 5-2.
 
Weekend Top Performers
Cooper Thacker: 3-for-9 (.333), 2 r, 1 2b, 2 rbi, .444 slg%, 3 bb, .500 ob%, 1 sh
Patrick Hackworth: 3-for-10 (.300), 1 r, 1 rbi, .300 slg%, 4 bb, .500 ob%, 1-1 sb-att
Noah Lazuka: 4-for-14 (.286), 1 r, 1 2b, 1 3b, 1 rbi, .500 slg%, 3 bb, 2 hp, .474 ob%, 2-2 sb-att
Michael Crossland: 4-for-14 (.286), 1 r, .357 slg%, 2 bb, 2 hp, .444 ob%, 1-1 sb-att
Gabe Camacho: 2-for-8 (.250), 1 r, 1 2b, 3 rbi, .375 slg%, 3 bb, 1 hp, .462 ob%, 1 sf, 1-1 sb-att
 
Nic Gregson: 0.00 era, 0-0, 1 gs, 3.0 ip, 3 h, 0 r, 0 bb, 2 so, .250 b/avg
Garrett Davidson: 0.00 era, 1-0, 1 app, 3.0 ip, 4 h, 1 r, 0 er, 0 bb, 3 so, .333 b/avg
Steele Murdock: 2.25 era, 0-0, 1 gs, 4.0 ip, 2 h, 1 r, 3 bb, 1 so, .182 b/avg
Sam Hasegawa: 3.38 era, 0-1, 2 app, 1 sv, 2.2 ip, 2 h, 1 r, 1 bb, 2 so, .222 b/avg
 
OFFENSE OUT WEST 
The Tritons rank first in the Big West in home runs (39 total, 1.44 per game), second in base on balls (137), fourth in doubles (62 total, 2.30 per game), hit by pitch (53) and slugging percentage (.456) and fifth in on base percentage (.379).
 
UC San Diego currently ranks 47th nationally in home runs, 49th in home runs per game, 27th in doubles and 32nd in doubles per game.
 
SLUGGING SOPHOMORE
Sophomore centerfielder Michael Crossland leads the conference in home runs (10 total) and ranks fifth in slugging percentage (.689) and seventh in OPS (1.116). He ranks fourth in total bases (73), 12th in runs scored (24), 11th in RBI (23), 15th in hits (31) and 16th in doubles (8). Crossland's 10 homers ranks 31st in NCAA, while he ranks 47th in home runs per game (0.37) and currently leads the team with a .330 batting average.
 
TALENTED NEWCOMERS
A trio of transfers have made an immediate impact for the Tritons, ranking top 20 in the Big West in multiple categories. Third baseman J.C. Allen ranks fourth in the conference in doubles (10), sixth in home runs (6), ninth in RBI (24) and 16th in slugging percentage (.532).
 
Second baseman Noah Lazuka ranks third in doubles per game (0.42) and fourth in doubles (10), while Gabe Camacho ranks second in hit by pitch (14), ninth in on base percentage (.479), 11th in home runs (5), 12th in OPS (1.023), 13th in RBI (22), 14th in slugging percentage (.544), 16th in runs scored (23) and 18th in walks (15).
 
TRITONS DEALIN'
Right-hander Matthew Dalquist has held it down as Friday starter this season. The redshirt sophomore ranks second in the Big West in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.00) and in walks allowed per nine innings (1.36), third in games started (7), fourth in innings pitched (39.2), fifth in earned run average (2.72) and WHIP (1.13), seventh in total strikeouts (36), eighth in wins (3), ninth in runs allowed (15) and 13th in opponent batting average (.253).
 
Spencer Seid is tied with Dalquist for seventh in total strikeouts (36) and ranks first in strikeouts per nine innings (11.71) and third in batters struck out looking (13). Seid ranks fifth in hits allowed (28), 11th in doubles allowed (6) and 15th in opponent batting average (.257).
 
True freshman Garrett Davidson currently ranks third in the Big West with four victories this season, while three Tritons are tied for eighth with two saves apiece including Sam Hasegawa, Devon King and Jake Villar.
 
SLIM MARGINS
The Tritons have played in six one-run games this season with a record of 4-2. UC San Diego is 1-0 in two-run ballgames, 3-3 in three-run ballgames and 1-0 in extra innings. The team is 10-0 when scoring eight or more runs.
 
DALQUIST MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK HONORS FOR TRITONS (MAR. 10)
UC San Diego right-hander Matthew Dalquist pitched a career-long 7.2 innings of shutout baseball, allowing just two hits with no walks and eight strikeouts. The redshirt sophomore earned the 9-1 victory on Friday over Cal State Bakersfield, using 95 total pitches, 63 of which were strikes. Dalquist faced just three batters over the minimum into the top of the eighth inning and retired the final 14 batters he faced in order.
 
SEID SETS DIVISION I PROGRAM RECORD TO EARN BIG WEST HONORS (MAR. 3)
Lefthander Spencer Seid earned his first career Big West Pitcher of the Week award on March 3. Seid set UC San Diego's Division I single game record with 13 strikeouts to earn the 8-2 win over No. 23 Cincinnati on Mar. 1. He surpassed the previous mark of 11 strikeouts, set by Ryan Forcucci last season against San Jose State (Feb. 16, 2024).
 
Seid pitched a career-long 7.0 innings, allowing one run on six hits with no walks. The San Marino, Calif. native faced the minimum in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings, and struck out the side in the second and third. He used 97 pitched to hold the Bearcats in check for his second win of the season.
 
LEOPARD NAMED UCU ATHLETE OF THE WEEK (FEB. 24)
Alex Leopard had a stellar week as UC San Diego won all three of its games in the Tony Gwynn Legacy. The lefty was 6-for-12 (.500) with all six of those hits going for extra bases: three doubles, a triple, and two homers. He drove in seven runs and scored seven runs for the week, posting a 1.417 slugging percentage. Leopard was 3-for-3 with two doubles and a homer in a win over Pepperdine, and he was 2-for-4 with a key two-run homer as the Tritons handed Utah its first loss of the season on Sunday night.
 
GONZALEZ LANDS ON PRESEASON COACHES' TEAM
UC San Diego catcher Emiliano Gonzalez was named to the 2025 Big West Preseason Coaches' Team. Gonzalez was one of 11 scholar-athletes recognized by the conference's 11 head coaches and one of just four position players on the preseason team. The team was made up of seven pitchers, three infielders and one catcher, Gonzalez.
 
The graduate student returns for his fourth season in La Jolla after another impressive campaign in 2024. Gonzalez led the team in hits (52), RBI (46), slugging percentage (.426) and on-base percentage (.343), and finished second with a .317 batting average and third in runs scored (30).Gonzalez appeared in 48 games, making 45 starts for the Tritons, collecting 10 doubles, six home runs, 14 multi-hit games and a team-high 16 multi-RBI performances.
 
TRITONS PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON POLL
UC San Diego was picked to finish fifth in the Big West Preseason Coaches' Poll with 63 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. Cal Poly rounded out the top three with 79 points.
 
Hawai'i was picked to finish fourth with 76 points, followed by UC San Diego (63 points), CSUN (50), UC Davis (47), Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State (36), Cal State Bakersfield (18) and UC Riverside (12).
 
EXPERIENCED ROSTER
The Tritons return 22 scholar-athletes from their 2024 roster, including four starting position players and two starting pitchers from a team that finished 17-13 in conference play last season. UC San Diego's 2025 roster includes 2024 All-Big West Honorable Mention Nick Costello leading a veteran group of 17 upperclassmen. 
 
FRESH FACES
The Tritons add 19 talented newcomers to their roster in 2025, including eight junior college/college transfers and 11 true freshmen. UC San Diego's additions include nine pitchers and 10 position players. 
 
BIG SHOES TO FILL
The Tritons will look to fill some big shoes on the mound from last season with the departure of pitchers Ryan Forcucci and Izaak Martinez as well as infielder Matt Halbach, who were all selected in the 2024 MLB Draft. Forcucci became the highest draft pick in program history after going in the third round (101 overall) to the Houston Astros. 
 
Martinez was selected in the 18th round (535 overall) by the Cleveland Guardians after a standout season that saw him as a finalist for NCBWA Stopper of the Year and semifinalist for both Dick Howser Trophy and College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year. 
 
Third baseman Halbach was selected in the 10th round (302 overall) by the Chicago Cubs, making the trio the first Tritons to be drafted in UC San Diego baseball's Division I era.
 
NEWMAN LEADING THE WAY
Head coach Eric Newman enters his 14th season at the helm of the Triton baseball program, compiling a 421-263 (.615) 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.
 
LOCAL DUO RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO ON NEWMAN'S STAFF
Head coach Eric Newman announced the addition of Justin Beck '19 and Tyler Nordgren to his coaching staff this offseason. After three seasons at San Jose State, Beck was a scholar-athlete for the UC San Diego baseball program in 2018 before spending three seasons as a volunteer assistant for the Tritons from 2019-21. Most recently, Beck served for three seasons on the staff at Cal Poly Pomona.
 
Nordgren comes to La Jolla after two seasons as an assistant coach at California Baptist and stints as director of baseball operations at LSU and Arizona. A San Diego native, Nordgren played his collegiate career at Point Loma Nazarene from 2010-14 and spent one season as an assistant coach for the Sea Lions in 2020. The pair join associate head coach Matt Harvey and director of baseball operations Matt Grangetto to round out Coach Newman's staff.

ON THE MOVE
After 20 seasons playing as an NCAA Division II team, the entire athletics program has completed a four-year transition to NCAA Division I and now has full DI status as a member of the Big West Conference for the 2024-25 academic year. All sports are now 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.