Cal baseball finally seemed to find its rhythm with a Pac-12 series win against Utah and a dominant performance against San Francisco earlier this month. This came to a screeching halt after the Bears lost a tough series to No. 23 Oregon, followed by a painful ninth inning defeat to No. 8 Stanford.
It is up to the blue and gold to regain confidence and build momentum before a tough schedule in May, a month during which they will take on conference opponents UCLA, Washington State and Washington. A good stretch of victories can propel the Bears to a spot in the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament, whereas a lack of production would cap off a truly forgettable season.
While the Bears currently sit at second to last in the Pac-12 standings with a 6-15 conference record, and 18-19 overall, a successful three-game series against Pitt could be a boost in momentum. This is especially critical for the Bears who boast a 12-4 record in nonconference play this season so far.
Outfielder Kade Kretzschmar will need to stay hot, as the fifth-year is hitting .492 in the month of April. Overall, he is slashing with a 0.333 batting average, 0.403 on-base percentage and .652 slugging percentage, along with eight doubles, 11 home runs and 28 RBIs.
He is joined on offense by sophomore duo Rodney Green Jr. and Caleb Lomavita. Green Jr. has continued to be a reliable force, hitting .301 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs. The outfielder has also been a dangerous presence on the base paths, as he leads the Pac-12 in stolen bases. Lomavita remains calm in the batter’s box, striking out just 19 times in 140 at-bats.
The pitching side has been a bit shaky as of late, as the Bears gave up seven walks to No. 8 Stanford on Tuesday. With Ian May still out of the lineup, junior Paulshawn Pasqualotto has been a dependable arm on the mound.
While an ERA at 4.26 seems a bit high, Pasqualotto has held batters to just a .213 average. His outings against top-ranked teams such as Oregon and Stanford, where he allowed just four earned runs in 10 innings combined, indicate positive future potential.
Pitt holds a 17-21 overall record and 8-11 conference record in the ACC. The Panthers are currently on a two-game losing streak after landslide defeats against conference opponent Wake Forest, 4-23 and 1-17 .
This three-game series against Pitt will be the first time the teams have matched up since 1995, a game Cal lost 9-4. The blue and gold will need to give it their all if they hope to play meaningful baseball in May.
