A moment six years in the making arrives this week for the UC San Diego baseball team, which qualified for the 2026 Big West Championship and a shot at the Tritons’ first NCAA Division I postseason appearance.

Standing in the way of the Tritons, and the other three teams in the tournament, is No. 1 seed UC Santa Barbara, which has become the conference’s most dominant program over the past decade.

Third-seeded UCSD (24-26) opens the double-elimination tournament on Thursday evening against No. 2 Cal Poly (33-21) at host UC Irvine’s Anteater Ballpark. Cal Poly took two of three games against UCSD during the teams’ regular-season series.

This is the second year of the Big West Championship tournament. UCSD didn’t qualify for last year’s event during the Tritons’ initial year of Division I postseason eligibility. UCSD actually won the Big West in 2023, but the Tritons were ineligible to receive the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals because they were in the midst of a four-year reclassification period.

Eric Newman became the program’s winningest coach this year. He is 471-314 across 15 seasons.

What’s at stake

The Big West tournament champion receives the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Regionals.

Field of 64 projections by both D1Baseball.com and BaseballAmerica.com predict UC Santa Barbara will win the Big West Championship to claim the automatic berth. Unless the Gauchos are upset, the Big West is viewed as a one-bid conference.

How to watch

ESPN+ will stream each tournament game.

About the Tritons

UCSD opened the season at No. 1-ranked UCLA, winning the final game of the three-game series. It is one of only six losses suffered by the Bruins (48-6), who also lost to San Diego State in a midweek game.

The Tritons went only 6-14 in nonleague games, faring much better in conference play with an 18-12 record.

UCSD ranked third in the Big West in runs scored per game (6.5) and second in home runs (58). The Tritons were ninth in ERA (6.50) and seventh in strikeouts (415).

First baseman Gabe Camacho set the school’s Division I single-season home run record with 16. He leads the Big West in homers, RBI per game (1.02) and hit by pitch (26) and is second in RBI (51), fourth in runs scored (46) and fifth in slugging percentage (.580).

Other offensive leaders for the Tritons include third baseman J.C. Allen (.301, 7 HR, 38 RBI), outfielders Michael Crossland (.242, 10 HR, 25 RBI) and Nick Costello (.228, 8 HR, 32 RBI), catcher Trevian Martinez (.241, 30 RBI) and shortstop Anthony Pot5estio (.308, 20 RBI, 12 SB).

Right-hander Steele Murdock (4-2, 5.73 ERA, 93 SO/66 IP) is expected to start the tournament opener against Cal Poly. Right-hander Nic Gregson (0-7, 6.65 ERA, 56 SO/65 IP) has been the hard-luck loser this season, but remains an experienced member of the starting rotation.

Key contributors in relief include right-handers Devon King (3-0, 3.82 ERSA, 34 SO/30.2 IP) and Nathan Ries (2-3, 5.69 ERA, 41 SO/49 IP) and left-hander Nathan Huy (1-2, 2.08 ERA, 15 SO in 17.1 IP).

Big West Championship schedule

(at UC Irvine’s Anteater Ballpark)

WEDNESDAY

Game 1: No. 4 Hawaii (27-22) vs. No. 5 Cal State Fullerton (23-30), 6 p.m.

THURSDAY

Game 2: No. 1 UC Santa Barbara (37-16) vs. Game 1 winner, 1 p.m.

Game 3: No. 2 Cal Poly (33-21) vs. No. 3 UCSD (24-26), 6 p.m.

FRIDAY

Game 4: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner , 1 p.m.

Game 5: Game 2 loser vs. Game 3 loser , 6 p.m.

SATURDAY

Game 6: Game 4 loser vs. Game 5 winner , 1 p.m.

Game 7: Game 4 winner vs. Game 6 winner , 6 p.m.

SUNDAY

Game 8: If necessary game, 12 p.m.