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Bears Set For Desert Duel Against Devils

by calbears.com
Apr 28, 2022

BERKELEY -- California returns to Pac-12 play after a five-game nonconference break with a trip to co-conference leader and No. 14-ranked Arizona State this weekend at Farrington Stadium. The three-game series in Tempe will be carried on the Pac-12 Networks and streamed on the Pac-12 Now app with Tracy Warren on the call.   

The Bears (26-20-1) head into the series at 6-9 in conference play after taking the series against rival and then-No. 24 Stanford by taking two of three games. Cal has five wins against ranked Pac-12 opponents after taking two of three from then-No. 7 Washington in Berkeley and earning a win in Eugene at then-No. 12 Oregon. The Sun Devils (32-7) are coming off of a series loss to Stanford last week, dropping two of three games, their first conference defeats of the season. Cal is 70-62 all-time against Arizona State, but lost the most recent matchup, 10-6, on May 5, 2019 at Farrington Stadium. The Bears haven't won the series against the Sun Devils since the 2012 season, when they took two of three games.

WEEKEND LINEUP

  • Teams: California (26-20-1, 6-9 Pac-12) at No. 14 Arizona State (32-7, 13-2 Pac-12)
  • Location: Farrington Stadium | Tempe, Ariz.
  • First pitch: Friday: 6 pm PT | Saturday: 6 pm PT | Sunday: 12 pm PT  

 HOW TO FOLLOW

 QUICK HITS

  • Cal is 70-62 all-time against Arizona State, but the Sun Devils won the most recent matchup, 10-6, on May 5, 2019. Cal's last series win against ASU came in 2012.
  • California returns to Pac-12 play after five straight nonconference matchups with the Bears going 2-2-1 over the break in conference action. 
  • The Bears lead the Pac-12 in hits (373) and are fifth in both home runs (49) and batting average (.298) through the first five weeks of conference play.
  • Makena Smith leads the team with a .406 batting average and is tied for the lead on the squad and ninth in the Pac-12 with 11 home runs, even while missing 13 games due to injury.
  • Smith has recorded a hit in 27 of 34 games played this season and is second on the team with 30 RBI.
  • Tatum Anzaldo has been swinging a hot bat all season and leads the conference in hits with 66. Anzaldo is hitting .402 on the season and has scored 31 runs.
  • Acacia Anders was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on March 21 after hitting two home runs in the series against UW, including a walk off shot on Saturday to secure Cal's first win over Washington since the 2016 season.
  • Anders is second in the conference among freshmen with 51 hits on the season and is second on the squad with seven home runs.
  • Sona Halajian has been the definition of a two-way player all season. She is second in the conference with 17 wins in the circle and is third on the team with a .375 batting average while sitting tied for ninth in the Pac-12 with 11 home runs.

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