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LA JOLLA, Calif.\u2014\u00a0UC San Diego baseball will get the weekend started early, hosting a three-game series with Hawai’i in La Jolla. The Tritons (12-13, 8-1 Big West) will look to continue a strong start to Big West play against the Rainbow Warriors (15-11, 5-7 Big West) on Thursday at 6 p.m. \u00a0 A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE UC SAN DIEGO HEADED TO THE WCC
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\nThe teams will face off on Friday at 6 p.m. and wrap up the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
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\nDETAILS\u00a0
\nGames 26-28
\nUC San Diego (12-13, 8-1) vs Hawai’i (15-11, 5-7)
\nThursday at 6 p.m. | Friday at 6 p.m. | Saturday at 6 p.m.
\nTriton Ballpark (500) | La Jolla, Calif.
\nAll-time series: 5-11
\nLast meeting: Hawai’i took the series, 2-1 (May 15-18, 2025)
\nStreak: L1
\nGame 1 on ESPN +<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Game 2 on ESPN+<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Game 3 on ESPN+<\/a>
\nGame 1 Stats<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Game 2 Stats<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Game 3 Stats<\/a>
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\nUP NEXT
\nThe Tritons will travel to face UC Santa Barbara for a weekend Big West series, April 10-12. The games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available via UCSDTritons.com.
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\n\t\t\tABOUT THE TRITONS
\n\t\t\tABOUT HAWAI’I
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\n\t\t\tRoster<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Schedule<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Stats<\/a>
\n\t\t\tRoster<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Schedule<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Stats<\/a>
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\n\t\t\tOverall: 12-13
\n\t\t\tOverall: 15-11
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\n\t\t\tBig West: 8-1
\n\t\t\tBig West: 5-7
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\n\t\t\tHome: 4-5
\n\t\t\tHome: 12-8
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\n\t\t\tAway: 8-8
\n\t\t\tAway: 3-3
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\n\t\t\tNeutral: 0-0
\n\t\t\tNeutral: 0-0
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\n\t\t\tvs. Ranked Opponents: 1-4
\n\t\t\tvs. Ranked Opponents: 0-0
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\n\t\t\tStreak: W3
\n\t\t\tStreak: W2
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\nLAST TIME OUT
\nUC San Diego earned its second Big West series sweep and third consecutive conference series win, taking all three against UC Davis. The Tritons took the Friday opener, 9-4, behind a career high 12 strikeouts from Steele Murdock<\/a> and four from freshman Connor Etnire<\/a> in 4.0 innings for his first career save. UC San Diego knocked 14 hits in the contest as well and put the game out of reach with four runs in the eighth inning. Anthony Potestio<\/a> had a monster game with three doubles and a home run.
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\nThe Tritons took a tightly contested 3-2 affair in the second game on Saturday, allowing just two runs\u2014their lowest for an opponent this season. In the Sunday finale, UC San Diego came out on top of a back-and-forth contest, 9-5, breaking up a 5-5 tie in the sixth and adding three runs in the eighth for insurance. Julian Cazares<\/a> earned his first save for the Tritons, pitching the final three innings and recording a career-best five strikeouts.\u00a0
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\nUC San Diego’s bullpen did not allow a run in the final two games of the series and only allowed one over the course of 12.0 innings in relief. Eighth different Tritons drove in at least one run in the series.
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\nWeekend Top Performers:
\nJ.C. Allen<\/a>: 5-for-11 (.455), 5 r, 1 2b, 2 rbi, 6 tb, .545 slg%, 3 bb, .571 ob%
\nNick Costello<\/a>: 4-for-9 (.444), 1 r, 1 hr, 5 rbi, 7 tb, .778 slg%, 2 bb, 1 hp, .583 ob%, 1 sh, 1-2 sb-att
\nAnthony Potestio<\/a>: 6-for-16 (.375), 2 r, 3 2b, 1 hr, 2 rbi, 12 tb, .750 slg%, .375 ob%
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\nNic Gregson<\/a>: 3.00 era, 0-0, 1 gs, 6.0 ip, 5 h, 2 r, 3 bb, 3 k, 1.33 whip, .217 avg
\nSteele Murdock<\/a>: 5.40 era, 1-0, 1 gs, 5.0 ip, 3 h, 3 r, 3 bb, 12 so, 1.20 whip, .158 avg
\nJulian Cazares<\/a>: 0.00 era, 1 sv, 3.0 ip, 2 h, 0 r, 1 bb, 5 so, 1.00 whip, .200 avg
\nConnor Etnire<\/a>: 2.25 era, 1 sv, 4.0 ip, 1 h, 1 r, 0 bb, 4 so, 0.25 whip, .077 avg
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\nMATCHING UP AGAINST THE BIG WEST
\nGabe Camacho<\/a> ranks second in the Big West in RBI (29) and in home runs (9) and eighth in slugging percentage (.602), while also ranking first in the conference and sixth nationally in hit by pitch (17). He is currently leading the team in slugging percentage, runs batted in, home runs, total bases (56), sacrifice flies (3) and hit by pitch and third in batting average (.269), hits (25) and on base percentage (.423). He was recently ranked No. 26 on D1Baseball’s list of the top 50 collegiate first basemen.
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\nAnthony Potestio<\/a> ranks first in the conference in base on balls per game (0.96), second in total walks (24), third in runs scored (26), seventh in stolen bases (6) and 10th in on base percentage (.451).\u00a0
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\nSteele Murdock<\/a> leads the Big West in strikeouts per nine innings (13.65), which ranks 19th in the country and ranks fifth in the conference in total strikeouts (46). Nic Gregson<\/a> ranks fifth in walks allowed per nine innings (2.10) and sixth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.13).
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\nCHALLENGING SCHEDULE
\nUC San Diego has had one of the most challenging non-conference schedules in the country, facing four teams currently ranked in the top 30 in RPI. The Tritons played series against UCLA (No. 3), Cincinnati (21), Oregon (25) and Louisiana (27), ranking as high as No. 19 in RPI after the completion of their preseason slate.
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\nThe Bruins are currently ranked No. 1 in D1Baseball’s top 25, with only two losses this season\u2014one coming against the Tritons (Feb. 15)\u2014while Oregon is ranked No. 15. Six of the Tritons opponents this season competed in the 2025 NCAA Baseball Championship, including Regional participants Cal Poly, Cincinnati, Creighton, UC Irvine and Oregon, as well as the Bruins who advanced to the CWS in Omaha.
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\nNEWMAN BECOMES WINNINGEST COACH FOR TRITON BASEBALL
\nWith a 12-6 victory over UC Riverside (March 20), UC San Diego head coach Eric Newman<\/a> became the winningest coach in program history, surpassing Dan O’Brien (1998-2010) with his 455th victory. Newman currently holds a 459-301 career record with the Tritons.
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\nALLEN NAMED BIG WEST FIELD PLAYER OF THE WEEK (MAR. 16)
\nSenior J.C. Allen<\/a> led the Tritons to their first series sweep of the season, taking all three at CSUN and earning his first career Big West Field Player of the Week honor. Allen finished 10-for-17 (.588) with 10 RBI and three runs scored, recording a 1.176 slugging percentage. He knocked four doubles and two home runs, tallying a .588 on base percentage. In Friday’s 17-16 slugfest, he went 4-for-7 with four RBI and two runs scored via two doubles and a home run. On Saturday in a 6-4 ballgame, he finished 3-for-4 with two RBI, including a double and a home run. In the Sunday finale, Allen went 3-for-6 with four RBI and a double to lead UC San Diego to the 12-4 victory.
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\nALLEN, CROSSLAND LAND ON PRESEASON COACHES’ TEAM
\nThird baseman J.C. Allen<\/a> and center fielder Michael Crossland<\/a> were named to the 2026 Big West Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Team after the duo earned All-Big West First Team accolades a season ago. Eleven scholar-athletes were recognized by the conference’s 11 head coaches, with six pitchers, three infielders and two outfielders earning a spot on the preseason team. The Tritons were one of four teams with multiple honorees, including Hawai’i (3), Cal Poly (2) and UC Irvine (2).
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\nA junior college transfer, Allen was a standout in his first season in La Jolla, starting 48 of the Tritons’ 51 games and finishing second on the team with 14 home runs. Allen led the team in runs batted in (53) and doubles (16), with both numbers ranking fourth in the Big West at the end of the regular season. The rising senior recorded a .304 batting average and .394 on base percentage, with a .620 slugging percentage good enough for fourth in the conference as well. Allen was red hot down the final stretch of the regular season, collecting 21 RBI in the last 10 games and knocking six homers in the last six games, including the final long ball of the season to set the UC San Diego single season team record with 80 home runs.
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\nCrossland had a record-setting sophomore season, leading the team in most statistical categories. The rising junior was tops on the team in batting average (.341), slugging percentage (.644), hits (70), home runs (15), runs scored (49), total bases (132) and games started (50) and second in doubles (15), RBI (44) and stolen bases (6). At the conclusion of the regular season, Crossland ranked first in the Big West in slugging percentage and home runs. He set the Tritons’ Division I record with 15 homers, which is tied for second all-time in the UC San Diego single season record book.
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\nTRITONS PICKED SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL
\nUC San Diego was picked to finish sixth in the Big West Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 60 total points.\u00a0UC Santa Barbara was picked to finish first with 95 points and five of the 11 first-place votes, followed by Cal Poly with 89 points and five first-place votes as well. UC Irvine rounded out the top three with 86 points and the remaining first-place vote.
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\nCal State Fullerton and Hawai’i were tied in fourth with 67 points apiece, followed by UC San Diego (60 points), Long Beach State (41), UC Davis (40), CSUN (25), Cal State Bakersfield (22) and UC Riverside (13).
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\nEXPERIENCED ROSTER
\nThe Tritons return 23 scholar-athletes from their 2025 roster, including five starting position players and two starting pitchers from a team that finished 15-15 in conference play last season. UC San Diego’s roster includes five 2025 All-Big West honorees, including first-teamers J.C. Allen<\/a>, Gabe Camacho<\/a> and Michael Crossland<\/a> and honorable mentions Alex Leopard<\/a> and Anthony Potestio<\/a>. The Tritons also get back 2024 All-Big West Honorable Mention Nick Costello<\/a>, who sat out all of 2025 due to injury.
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\nRight-hander Steele Murdock<\/a> will lead a talented Triton pitching staff after being recognized as a 2025 Cape Cod League All-Star\u2014along with Potestio. Veteran right-hander Nic Gregson<\/a>, lefty Jake Villar<\/a> and right-hander Nathan Ries<\/a> also highlight a stacked staff for UC San Diego.
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\nFRESH FACES
\nThe Tritons add 17 talented newcomers to their roster in 2026, including four junior college transfers, two Division I transfers and one Division II transfer as well as 10 true freshmen.
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\nDALQUIST SELECTED IN 2025 MLB DRAFT
\nRight-hander Matthew Dalquist<\/a> was selected on day two of the 2025 MLB Draft, taken in the 18th round (539 overall) by the Minnesota Twins. Dalquist was an All-Big West Second Team selection as the Tritons’ Friday starter in 2025, making 14 starts with a record of 6-5 and a 4.43 ERA. He collected 67 strikeouts compared to just 13 walks in 81.1 innings of work.\u00a0
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\nThe Redondo Beach native ranked first in the Big West and 16th nationally in walks allowed per nine innings (1.44), third in the conference (24th nationally) in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.15) and third in the Big West (11th nationally) in games started (14).
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\nDalquist becomes the fourth Triton to be selected in the MLB Draft in the program’s Division I era, joining the trio of Ryan Forcucci, Matt Halbach and Izaak Martinez who were all selected in 2024. The UC San Diego baseball program has had 27 scholar-athletes selected in the MLB Draft since 1974, with Forcucci as the highest pick after being taken by the Houston Astros in the third round (101 overall).
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\nNEWMAN LEADING THE WAY
\nHead coach Eric Newman<\/a> enters his 15th season at the helm of the Triton baseball program, compiling a 459-301 (.608) 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.<\/p>\n
\nWhile 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.\u00a0
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\nDuring his nine seasons coaching the Tritons at Division II, Eric Newman<\/a> 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).<\/p>\n
\nOn Sept. 3, 2025, UC San Diego accepted a formal invitation to join the West Coast Conference (WCC) beginning July 1, 2027. UC San Diego will compete in 14 of the West Coast Conference’s 16 sponsored sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s water polo, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s golf and women’s rowing. The university remains committed to finding a conference affiliation for its sports that will not compete in the West Coast Conference.
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\nBeginning in 2027-28, the WCC membership will consist of: University of California San Diego, Loyola Marymount University, University of the Pacific, Pepperdine University, University of Portland, Saint Mary’s College, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University, and Seattle University. UC San Diego will become the first public institution in the West Coast Conference since the departure of the University of Nevada-Reno in 1979.
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\nANDY FEE NAMED ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT UC SAN DIEGO\u00a0
\nOn Sept. 10, 2025, UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla announced the hiring of college sports veteran Andy Fee<\/a> as the Tritons’ new Director of Athletics. Fee will become just the fourth Director of Athletics at UC San Diego since 1966. Fee joins the Tritons after spending the 2024-25 season as Deputy AD at Seattle University. Prior to Seattle U, Fee spent two years at Washington as Deputy AD and Chief of Staff.\u00a0
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\nBefore relocating to Seattle, Fee spent five years as Director of Athletics at Long Beach State from 2017 to 2022. During this time, Long Beach State’s athletic programs found great success as the school advanced to the postseason in 18 of its 19 sports programs in his five-year tenure. The Beach won a pair of national championships in men’s volleyball and claimed The Big West Commissioner’s Cup three times.\u00a0
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\nNo stranger to conference transition, Fee will help guide the Tritons into the West Coast Conference in 2027-28. He also helped guide Washington into the Big Ten and Seattle U into the WCC in July.
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\nWHY THE TRITONS
\nThe 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.
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\nAbout UC San Diego Athletics
\nAfter two decades as one of the most successful\u00a0programs in\u00a0NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as\u00a0a\u00a0member\u00a0of The Big West Conference in\u00a0NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in\u00a0Divisions\u00a0II\u00a0and III and helped guide\u00a01,400 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.
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