SportSpyder - The Latest California Golden Bears Basketball Podcasts

DBD 2026-05-13: Hyde

Wed, 13 May 2026 09:01:50 GMT

Welcome to the DBD, a Write for California community board where one can talk about anything – Cal-related or off-topic. Comment threads are sorted by topic. Anything is fine, so long as you're generally civil

Men's Basketball Adds Richard Midgley in GM Role

Tue, 12 May 2026 17:00:59 GMT

As a freshman in 2003, Richard Midgley hit one of the biggest shots of this century for Cal, knocking down a 3-pointer as time expired in OT to give the #9-seed Golden Bears the 76-74 victory over the #8-seed NC State Wolfpack in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Midgley will now be called on to perform other heroic deeds for Cal, as he is set to join the Men’s Basketball program as a General Manager.

Midgley was a 4-year contributor for Coach Ben Braun from 2003-2006. He averaged just over 10 points a game and helped lead Cal to NCAA berths in 2003 and 2006. After graduating, Midgley played professionally in England before returning to the United States for a career in Finance. He transitioned to scouting roles, scouting domestically for the Atlanta Hawks from 2016-2018. Since 2019, he has worked with the New Jersey Nets with a focus on international scouting.

Image snipped from calbears.com

A GM’s role is to handle the business side of the roster and program, letting the coaches focus on skills development and game strategy(you know, coaching). The football program has had Ron Rivera and Marshall Cherrington this season, the women’s basketball program added GM Meghin Williams last spring, and now the men’s program has Richard Midgley. It is still unclear on Midgley’s full scope of duties, on if he will be paired with someone on the financial side and he will focus on recruiting, or if he will be tasked with fulfilling both roles. Whatever the case, Madsen now has institutional support on roles he himself has been fulfilling outside of the gym.

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Welcome back to Berkeley, Richard!

Cal Cornerback Daniel Harris on Competing Every Day, Belief in This Secondary

Tue, 12 May 2026 13:07:51 GMT

Daniel Harris came a long way from Georgia to get to Berkeley, and the decision came down to trust in the people running the program.

“I came here because it’s different, it’s very far, and I mess with Tosh and the coaching staff and how they run things here. It was a little different because I’m coming from the east coast, but I’ve been picking up things step by step and just going about everything. It’s been good though.”

As a cornerback, Harris sees himself as a versatile piece.

“I feel like I bring everything as a corner. I bring man tangibles, zone tangibles. I can bring anything you want, it don’t really matter. I can play inside, star, any way you want, I can do it.”

He expected a bigger culture shock coming from Georgia, and was pleasantly surprised.

“I would say it’s more physical at Georgia, but I thought it was going to be a way bigger difference. It’s still physical here. It’s not too different because Tosh came from Oregon and Oregon was doing the same stuff we were doing at Georgia.”

Asked to name a comp for his game, Harris had a specific answer.

“I’ll probably say Tariq Woolen. We got the same body frame. We do the same things. We play zone. We’re tall, long, fast. Real fast.”

His time at Georgia sharpened him in ways he’s carrying forward.

“I’ll probably say the physical part of it, being more physical than the person you’re going against, and learning the defense. I learned a lot of stuff at Georgia.”

Going up against Cal’s loaded receiver transfers in practice has been exactly what he came for.

“It’s been competitive. We just go at it every day. I love going against those guys. It’s competitive, and I love competing. It ain’t nothing to it for real.”

Tosh Lupoi’s defensive background was a selling point, and the pitch about what’s being built here landed.

“He’s a defensive coordinator turned head coach, and I already put him in a favorable position because he’s on the defensive side of the ball and I play defense. I just put two and two together. He was basically telling me who I was coming in with and saying he’s trying to flip the whole program around, and I was with it. I’m trying to do the same thing.”

Harris also sees this year’s secondary as something special.

“Over the past few years the secondary has been good, but I feel like this year this is probably the best secondary that’s come through here. I ain’t gonna lie. I mess with this secondary. We got a nice secondary.”

DBD 2026-05-12: Hide

Tue, 12 May 2026 09:01:23 GMT

Cal Baseball: Bears Upset Ranked Virginia in Charlottesville with ACC-Series Win

Tue, 12 May 2026 02:19:05 GMT

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Closing out the final road trip of the 2026 regular season for the Golden Bears, California, a team sitting at 25-23 with a conference record of 8-16 coming into Friday evening, traveled to Davenport Field at Disharoon Park in Charlottesville, VA to take on the nationally ranked No. Virginia Cavaliers (“Wahoos”, “Hoos”, or “Omahoos”).

Gavin Eddy (via CalBears.com)

As mentioned, Virginia entered the weekend nationally ranked at No. 23 and are eyeing an invite to the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament, no matter what the result of the ACC tournament or conclusion of the regular season brings them. Last season, the Cavaliers were led by 5x ACC Coach of the Year Brian O’Connor, who high-tailed out of Charlottesville for Mississippi State after not making the College World Series for the first time since 2019. O’Connor finished 917-388-2 at Virginia with a national championship under his belt in 2015, and was replaced by former Duke HC Chris Pollard, who had been with the Blue Devils since 2013, where he had won two ACC Championships.

Once ranked as high as No. 9 in week six, Virginia has been on a downward spiral as of late, having lost two of their last four ACC series, with one of those losses being a sweep at the hands of Pitt. Cal, on the other hand, has been on an upward trajectory compared to last season but remains far out of the hunt for an invite to the postseason unless an ACC championship comes to fruition. At 8-16 at the bottom of the standings, a run seems far from likely.

The series between Cal and Virginia was one that the Bears could have… SHOULD have flown home with a sweep. Baseball games are stressful and unpredictable by nature, but the Bears strung together two explosive wins against what looked like a deflated Wahoos team, while their pitching, specifically the exceptional pitching from ACC player of the week Gavin Eddy, who did not even get a win, appeared composed and collected while facing off against a top offense in the NCAA that averages over 1.71 home runs per game.

Cal Pitcher Gavin Eddy won ACC Pitcher of the Week Honors for his start against UVA (via @CalBaseball on X)

Game 1, Friday 5/8/2026: California 7 – Virginia 4

The California Golden Bears got off to a hot start in Charlottesville, VA, as the Cavaliers’ Henry Zatkowski surrendered a one-out home run to Freshman breakout star Jett Kenady (his ninth of the season) to give the Bears a quick 1-0 lead, while Oliver de la Torre retired the first three UVA batters of the game. The Bears then put up a four-spot on the Hoos in the top of the 2^nd, as Campbell reached on a walk, Kodama was hit by a pitch, and Snyder singled to third to load the bases for Hideki Prather. Hideki Prather launched his 12^th home run of the season, a 404 ft grand slam to deep center field off Zatkowski, and California was quickly up 5-0 over the nationally ranked Virginia squad.

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De la Torre then worked himself into a deep hole in the bottom half of the inning, giving up a leadoff single to Sam Harris, then a base hit to Jake Weatherspoon, and walking Zach Johnson to load the bases for Kyle Johnson. Johnson then took a page straight out of Prather’s book – and hit a grand slam to deep left field, putting Virginia right back into this game down by only one early on.

Ron Rivera's Full Circle Moment Still Elicits "Shock" as he's Inducted to the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame

Mon, 11 May 2026 13:00:23 GMT

Credit: Hispanic Hall of Fame

For Cal Football General Manager Ron Rivera, it hasn’t always been sunshines and roses in acknowledging what he’s done throughout his football career. From becoming an All-American as a Golden Bear, to a Super Bowl champion in a NFL career that included a run where he played through a fracture in his leg and now as a coach/front office figure, there’s a lot that has crossed Rivera’s path.

But its taken several people to remind him of the pathway that earned him a spot in the inaugural Hispanic Football Hall of Fame class. Rivera exclusively sat down with Write For California to discuss how this went from a situation not on the radar, to one full of “why me?” questions and how it eventually ended up in a series of moments that allowed him to appreciate what his football life has amounted to.

Building the Hispanic Hall

With the presence of the Black College Football Hall of Fame and Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, there was a noticeable lack of celebration for Hispanics who have impacted the game.

Those same people who endorsed and got the aforementioned Hall of Fame’s in motion, Kevin Kaplan and Troy White sat down with former NFL OT Anthony Munoz and Rivera to try and jumpstart a chapter of Hispanic impact.

After successful attempts to find funding and then getting validation from the NFL, it was time to get the ball rolling.

“It was about a year process. It really was about getting people together, talking about what we’re going to do, with the sole purpose of having the annual event and football game played as well. They’re going to play the first [Hispanic High School] football game in Mexico City.” - Ron Rivera on the timeline of the Hispanic Hall and his contribution coming together

From a thought to reality

As due diligence was done, Rivera was approached about being on the founding board of the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame. He had a very matter of fact response when initially probed:

Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

“Guys, come on, who am I?” - Rivera on the first acknowledgement of his impact to Hispanics in football.

It took Rivera some time to come to terms with the impact he could have on a community in trying to build this up. That realization came in the form of a memory adjacent to the Cal Football program. Rivera was supposed to be the Head Coach for Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele in the Polynesian Bowl, but had to step away due to interviews elsewhere.

Despite that, once he was told about the circumstances surrounding that game and what something like that could be for Hispanics, he returned to the idea that being on the board is something that can pay off.

To get to the finish line, another Golden Bear would help usher in this new environment together.

David Ortega Sr.

“He was one of the first people I talked to. He said we have to do this. I said are you sure and he said yeah….I finally talked to Anthony [Munoz] and he said Ron we need to do this. So I said as long as you’re there I’ll do it.” - Ron Rivera

Getting the band back together in Sin City

Credit: @coachlup on Twitter

Board of Directors member Sandy Nunez had to almost plead with Rivera to understand why he was in the inaugural class, with repeated points that it was more than just what you did as a player.

On the other side, Rivera noted the class and wondered if he belonged alongside people not only that were peers, but some whom he looked up to himself.

WR Tom Fears
QB/HC Tom Flores
LB Ted Hendricks
OT Anthony Muñoz
QB Jim Plunkett
RB Steve Van Buren

Nunez reiterated to the Cal great that “its about your whole contribution, there’s not a limit.” At that point, Rivera relented. As texts and calls came from roughly 35-40 people, across former coaches, teammates and players, the reality set in that this was more than a casual accolade.

Fast forward to May 5th, it was time for the induction ceremony. In front of 300 people, including football icons, what was once just a concept became a physical reality. And that’s when it hit Rivera mentally and emotionally despite being involved in the preparation process and on stage itself.

“For me personally, it was about [realizing], gosh I did have a great career. College All-American, second draft pick into a Super Bowl Championship Team, played and coached in championship games, went through all these things. That’s crazy how I did all that. That’s how it was for me when I sat back and really thought about it.” - Rivera on processing going into a HOF

In front of his family who came from as far as Charlotte and Miami out west, his wife’s Stephanie and her family who were local to the area and Head Coach Tosh Lupoi, a full circle moment was experienced among those closest to Rivera. One that finally drove home the ethos of it all for the football stalwart.

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“I learned the value of [the Hispanic Hall of Fame induction] based on the way people reached out and talked to me. People tried to tell me, ‘you made an impact’. I had a couple of people after the ceremony tell me, ‘you know you’re the reason I played football. I wanted to play like you’. That’s what did it.” - Rivera on how he’s come to terms with being in the Hispanic HOF

DBD 2026-05-11: Post Mother's Day

Mon, 11 May 2026 09:01:37 GMT

Cal Running Back Ashten Emory on Fitting In, What He Brings to the Backfield

Sun, 10 May 2026 13:12:51 GMT

New Cal running back Ashten Emory kept things upbeat and brief, arriving with an appreciation for his new surroundings and a clear sense of what he offers the program.

“Just blessed to be with the rest of the guys. I’m glad to be a part of a great program. I’m just glad to be here.”

On what he brings to the field, Emory didn’t take himself too seriously.

“I believe I provide a great sense of humor, some energy. I’m ready to lay my helmet down, bring that roughness to the running backs room. That’s what I bring.”

His early impressions of running backs coach Keith Bhonapha have been strong.

“He’s amazing. Real smart, amazing coach. He teaches me something every day. Every day there’s something new as a running back and I take it all in. I love the energy, the consistency. No days off for him. You hear him on the boards every day. I love it, it’s awesome.”

Cal Linebacker Tristan Jernigan on Discipline, Opportunity and Bagels in Berkeley

Fri, 08 May 2026 14:03:56 GMT

Tristan Jernigan arrived at Cal drawn by a combination of coaching, academics and opportunity, and has wasted no time settling in.

“I’m glad to be here. Great area, great people, great coach. Tosh is changing the program, changing everything about us. I’m looking forward to seeing how this season is about to go.”

The way Tosh Lupoi runs things resonated with Jernigan personally.

“Very strict, straightforward and very disciplined. I’m very disciplined myself, so I take pride in that. Tosh is one of those, and that’s one of the reasons why I came here.”

Cal’s academics have made an impression too, with Jernigan recently earning recognition for it.

“Cal has given me a great opportunity. I was fortunate to get scholar-athlete transfer of the week. It’s a great area, great academic people, they help you with everything. That’s the way I want it.”

For fans who haven’t seen him play, Jernigan offered a quick self-assessment.

“I’m very energetic, very physical, talented with speed. I can do about anything. I got a lot of stuff to work on because I’m young, but that just comes with the game. I’m looking forward to putting my talents on showcase this year.”

He came to Cal from College Station alongside fellow linebacker Solomon Williams, and the two have leaned on their shared experience.

“We were fortunate to come from a very good school. We came here and used what we learned from there, and on top of the stuff that Tosh is teaching coming from Oregon, where they had a great team last year, we’re just building on that and becoming better.”

On where he is in his development, Jernigan was direct about his mindset.

“My time is now. I’m looking forward to having success because I’ve been working so hard these past few years to be on the come up, and I feel like now is that time.”

The linebacker room’s camaraderie has been genuine, built across different backgrounds and zip codes.

“We’re all from different places. AJ is from Vegas, I’m from Mississippi, a lot of people from Cali. Coach BG, he always brings bagels in on a Saturday morning. I never had a bagel till I came to California, so that was crazy.”

Jernigan described his hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi with affection.

“Besides Elvis, kind of like me. Very energetic, great people, great hospitality, great food. Very soulful. Everybody treats you well. It’s a great place to be.”

Being across the country hasn’t brought any homesickness though.

“Not at all. I come from a family where traveling was very big. Going from place to place never really phased me. Plus my family always comes to travel with me.”

As for the bagel education, Jernigan has gotten some guidance from a teammate.

“No Williams told me about a spot on Telegraph. Boichik Bagels. I just started eating them so I just get the plain toasted with cream cheese. It’s pretty good.”

He’s also found a taste of home in Oakland on the weekends.

“I like soul food, coming from the south. There’s this place called Y’s Choice and Rob Ben’s. That’s Marshawn Lynch’s restaurant. Pretty good around here. I eat there on the weekends because I’m on a diet throughout the week with Kendall in the nutrition room. Throughout the week it’s steak, rice, chicken, greens, any protein and carbs, fruit, vegetables. Healthy stuff. But I eat good on the weekends.”

DBD 2026-05-08: National Have a Coke Day

Fri, 08 May 2026 09:51:13 GMT

Golden Nuggets: Former Detective Secretary of Labor Robert Reich

Thu, 07 May 2026 19:01:09 GMT

Hello and welcome to Golden Nuggets, our weekly recap article where we try to highlight all the fun, funny, or interesting things you might have missed roughly over the last week across Bear Territory (the whole damn world of course). Think of it like a cheat sheet for small talk about Cal.

Main Course

We start this week with a feature out of UC Berkeley News on the upcoming commencement speaker, Robert Reich. Reich, while a graduate of Dartmouth College, University College, and Yale is of course a currently the emeritus Carmel P. Friesen Professor of Public Policy a the Goldman School of Public Policy. Prof. Reich’s tenure began back in 2006 and he became semi-famous on campus at least for his “Wealth and Poverty” course taught in the main lecture hall of Wheeler Hall where students often filled the aisles and even stood outside to listen. I tried to take it as a student but was DEEP on the waitlist and when I couldn’t even get into the Wheeler hallways, I figured the ship had sailed already.

Prior to his time at Cal, Robert Reich was of cource the Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton where he helped bring out the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), negotiated by the previous George H. W. Bush administration. Of course he’s most famous for his role however as Detective Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich in just an honest to goodness Conan O’Brien sketch.

Stay tuned as I’m sure his speech will be recorded!

URSINE UPDATES: THE ACC IS BEAR TERRITORY. ALSO COLORADO.

It’s time for another installment of Ursine Updates. We start with two bears fighting outside of a North Carolina home.

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And then switch over to a bear that just wanted to catch a little nap.

Hot Links

Imagining Human Longevity

This past week, UC Berkeley held a conference imagining human longevity . John Ramos from CBS News put together a nice feature on it. Give it a watch!

Small Bites

Hawai’i has a new Chief Justice of their Supreme Court (and he’s a double Bear!)
I assume some form of white smoke or nuclear radiation was emitted out of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab this week after Katherine Yelick was named Head of the lab
Ron Rivera was interviewed by Sports Byline USA
Rowing celebrated Senior Day
Women’s Basketball put together a nice season recap.

Golden Bear Honors

Jeff Kent’s exhibit is up at Cooperstown (and the Cal Letterman Jacket featured prominently.)
Adora Liu (Women’s Golf) is headed to the NCAA Stanford Regional this weekend!
Portia Sherman, Emma Donley (First Team), Marilu Pally, and Grace Hong (Second Team) were all named to the All-MPSF Team for Beach Volleyball
Portia Sherman was also named a First Team All-American by the AVCA!
Emma Donley was also named a First Team All-American by the AVCA!
Kai Anderson set the Freshman Pole Vault record with a high of 5.32m
Solomon Williams (Rugby) was named National Player of the Year, Cal’s first ever!
Anaya Togia (Softball) was named Third Team All-ACC
Ron Rivera was inducted into the inaugural Hispanic Football Hall of Fame
Cal Men’s Golf is headed to the NCAA Regionals next weekend

This Week in eCommerce

This week on eBay we found shirt celebrating the 97th element Berkelium!

Buy it now before Berkelium97 does.

Cal Pros Recap

Basketball

After being drafted by the Valykries and then cut, Marta Suarez has landed with the Phoenix Mercury. Jaylen Brown…is angry with some officiating after the Celtics were bounced out of the playoffs by the Sixers. Jaylon Tyson and the Cavs made it past the Raptors but lost to the Pistons in Game 1.

Golf

Max Homa made the cut in the Miami Championship and ended the tournament tied for 38th at -4. Michael Kim finished tied for 18th at -7. Collin Morikawa pulled out of the Truist Championship.

Football

Marshawn talked about his path to Cal. And visited Nike Headquarters.

And so we find ourselves again at the end of another beautiful, perfect, Golden Nuggets. Thanks again for reading and hope to see you next week! I’m going down a Conan Youtube rabbit hole now.

Cal Linebacker AJ Tuitele on Fitting In, Playing Fast and Learning From the Little Things

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:15:53 GMT

AJ Tuitele’s decision to come to Cal had personal roots before it had anything to do with football.

“I got a lot of family out here in the Bay. And then just the defense that Coach Tosh and Coach Hutchings bring to the table, it’s a good fit for me and who I am.”

On head coach Tosh Lupoi’s presence on the field, Tuitele appreciated the energy he sets.

“Very active. He matches energy, he’s not scared to get too hyped, and the players just match his energy. It’s a big deal for us.”

Asked to describe his own game, Tuitele kept it punchy.

“Fast, physical. I play sideline to sideline, I love the tackle, I love to hit, very aggressive. I’m good in pass coverage too, and it’s a new game nowadays, more passing, you need more coverage linebackers. That’s what I bring to the table.”

His time at USC taught him lessons that go beyond scheme.

“The biggest thing was just confidence. You got to come in not scared of going against the best player on the team. And I also learned how to read the playbook, different ways to learn it and make it easier on yourself and on your teammates.”

The inside linebacker role carries the same responsibilities it did at USC, and Tuitele laid out exactly what that means.

“Playing the mike, the M, we call it the vocal leader of the defense. Call out the plays, first one to get the plays, first one to give out the plays. Just the quarterback of the defense.”

Working under linebackers coach Bob Gregory has been a positive experience.

“Coach Gregory is a good, informative, great coach. He gets on me for the little stuff and I love that. It’s not just on the field but off the field they take care of us. It’s just a great coaching staff to have.”

The linebacker room itself has become a melting pot, and Tuitele is embracing it.

“It’s amazing just knowing their different cultures, where they came from. From down south, from the West Coast, East Coast. I just love it. From Alaska, different culture, I get to learn it. Like eating deer. Never heard of that, but hey, I’m gonna try it.”

DBD 2026-05-07: German's surrender in WWII

Thu, 07 May 2026 09:48:11 GMT

Cal Baseball: Bears Finish Nonconference Schedule with 2-1 Win over Pacific

Thu, 07 May 2026 01:46:06 GMT

STOCKTON – Coming off another ACC series loss, California looked to bounce back from their offensive slump against Virginia Tech, where they dropped two of three, by picking up one last win in nonconference/out of conference play in the 2026 regular season – this time against the University of the Pacific Tigers.

Tanner Grove greeted by his teammates at the dugout after 4.0 IP (via @CalBaseball on X)

Once the program led by Cal’s Mike Neu (2016-2017), UoP hosted the Golden Bears in Stockton, CA, as they embarked on one final road trip for the 2026 season, heading to Virginia to take on the Cavaliers this weekend. Pacific came into Tuesday night’s game at 20-25, but remains in the hunt for a WCC title, as they are competitively at 12-9 in conference play, sitting in third place out of the 10 teams, while only San Francisco (13-8) and Gonzaga (16-5) stand above them.

California came into Tuesday night at 24-23 with two straight ACC series losses and a midweek loss to Davis, putting the team in a bit of a slump while they are depleted in star power. Cal’s pitching had been its sole hope day in and day out, with the weekend rotation of starters each picking up a quality start over 18.0 combined IP and an ERA of 3.00. That pitching dependency on Cal was even more evident against the Tigers, with Tanner Grove getting the start for the Bears and putting up a stellar 4.0 IP, allowing just two hits and two walks and striking out four in his second start of the season.

Hideki Prather leads the game off with a base hit to left (via @CalBaseball on X)

Cal’s offense once again came out with no momentum but struck first in the top half of the 4^th against UoP’s Liam Smith, who has not pitched in a game that the Tigers have won since March 3^rd, pitching in nine straight losses in that span. Daniel Murillo got the 4^th started with a one-out single, and scored on an RBI single from Cade Campbell for his 17^th of the season. The Bears would add one more in the 6^th to take a 2-0 lead on back-to-back hits from Hideki Prather and Daniel Murillo, the latter of the two hitting an RBI-double down the left field line to give Cal’ their inevitable “winning” run.

Ryan Spalliero would relieve Grove in the 5^th, and after allowing just one hit, would be relieved by Jett Wright in the 6^th. Wright would strike out Jake Tandy to lead off the inning, but he then hit MacArthur with a pitch and walked Spear to put two runners on, thus bringing Cade Colombara in to pitch for the Bears. Colombara would surrender an RBI single to JT Shank to make it 2-1, and with some clutch pitching from California in the 7^th from Trent Roach, Cal would pull away in this low-scoring game with a 2-1 victory at Klein Family Field.

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California will travel to No. 23 Virginia, sitting at 25-23 after winning two straight, and play in their second-to-last ACC series of the season before taking on Stanford at Stu Gordon Stadium. Cal’s final road trip of the regular season will be streamed on ACCNX/ESPN+ - Friday’s game will be at 3:00 PM, Saturday at 1:00 PM, and Sunday at 10:00 AM (all PST).

Cal Men's Basketball Signs Forward Dominykas Daubaris

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:45:26 GMT

Credit: Cal Athletics

As the 2026-27 Cal Men’s Basketball Roster comes together, Head Coach Mark Madsen has added some international flavor to the Golden Bears. Today, Cal announced the signing of F Dominykas Daubaris out of Lithuania.

He will join Cal as a freshman, where he’s coming off appearances at the 2025 FIBA U18 Eurobasket in Serbia and working with team Zalgiris in the Lithuanian LKL.

Daubaris averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game for Lithuania in U18 Eurobasket.

“Dominykas is one of the most promising young prospects out of Europe this season. His combination of size and skill make him a threat both on the perimeter and inside offensively. He uses his high-level intuition and length to make an impact defensively. We cannot wait to add Dominykas to the Cal Family!” - Mark Madsen

Daubaris joins the following as the transfer class for Cal heading into next season:

Michael Cooper
Nojus Indrusaitis
Nicolas Mitrovic
Jordan Ross
Jake Wilkins

Cal Football Lands Commitment from 2027 DB Duvay Williams

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:02:36 GMT

Credit: Hayes Fawcett for Rivals

As we enter into the summer stretch, Cal Football continues its upward trend on the recruiting trail.

This afternoon, the Bears picked up the commitment of Duvay Williams, a cornerback out of Serra down in Gardena. Hayes Fawcett of Rivals reported his pledge to Tosh Lupoi and company, picking Cal over UCLA and Arizona State.

Williams becomes the 10th player committed in Cal’s 2027 class. His fellow Golden Bear commit Charles Davis III loved what he was seeing once the announcement came to be.

@Hayesfawcett3 @Rivals @CalFootball @CoachLup @MWCherrington @TroyBowens0 @Mdot_5 @JaxsenStokes @CoachDBrown27 THE DYNASTY HAS BEGUN","username":"_Charles_Davis_","name":"Charles Davis III “spida”","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/2014558903988846594/sOiGx5q__normal.jpg","date":"2026-05-06T21:01:36.000Z","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":1,"retweet_count":29,"like_count":116,"impression_count":5074,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":false}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

Golden Bears Stun Panthers in Softball Season Finale

Wed, 06 May 2026 19:02:01 GMT

PITTSBURGH, PA – The California Golden Bears (15-37, 5-19 ACC) are back in the win column in the final games of the softball season after a month of heartbreaking and disappointing losses. Following a game one loss, the Bears immediately turned the series around, winning their final two games of the regular season thanks to clutch pitching and a white hot offensive performance that never cooled down. The Pitt Panthers (25-26, 8-16 ACC) played host to the Bears at Vartbedian Field, having clinched one of the final spots in the ACC tournament going into the weekend.

Friday, Game 1: Cal 6 - 14 Pitt (6)
Cal rocketed to one of their fastest starts in game one of their series against Pitt. Sophia Everett put Cal on the board by turning on the fourth pitch of the game to knock her fourth home run of the season over the center field fence. This would end up being a trend throughout the series, as a total of thirteen home runs were hit between Cal and Pitt. With a 1-0 lead to start the ball game, head coach Steve Singleton turned to Tamya Waiters to take over in the circle. Pitt took advantage of an early Cal error to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first, and a solo home run in the bottom of the second would give the Panthers a two run advantage, bringing Layna Gerhard to the circle in relief. Waiters returned to pitch later in the game.

The Panthers increased the deficit to 4-1 in the bottom of the third before Cal responded with a massive offensive inning of their own. With a runner on first, Gator Robinson went yard for the eighth time this season, bringing the Bears within one of Pitt. Kayli Counts mirrored Robinson with her first home run of the season, and Everett added another home run to the party to give Cal another one run lead. Pitt tied the game at five each in the bottom of the fourth, but the Bears again inched in front after an RBI single from Carly Raven brought home Maddie Rey from third for the 6-5 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Singleton sent in Mya McGowan to relieve Gerhard after 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, and 3Ks. The Panthers didn’t give the freshman pitcher a moment to breathe, scoring a total of five runs against McGowan in that frame, bringing an end to her day after 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, and 2 BB. Waiters returned to the circle to relieve McGowan in the bottom of the sixth, however she was pulled a few batters later, ending her day with 1.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, and 1 K. Pitt iced the game on the next at-bat when third baseman Helton Gracie hit a grand slam against relief pitcher Kiki Mashhoud to give the Panthers a 14-6 lead, activating the run rule.

Cal finished game one with 8 hits on 22 at-bats. Sophia Everett went 2-3 with a pair of home runs, Carly Raven went 2-2 with 2 singles and 1 RBI, and Gator Robinson went 1-2 with a home run and 2 RBI’s. From the field: Gator Robinson and Anaya Togia were each credited with an error. WP: Allie Lukaszewicz (3-1) 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 K. LP: Mya McGowan (4-14) 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB.

Saturday, Game 2: Cal 11 - 0 Pitt (5)
In game two against Pitt the Bears came back with a vengeance. Taylor Peacock was given the starting nod, and the game began with an intense pitchers’ duel between her and the Panthers’ best arm Kyra Pittman. Cal was taken down in order in the top of the first with two strikeouts and a ground out, while Pitt knocked in just a pair of singles in the bottom of the same frame. After that, Peacock settled into a rhythm and only gave up two more hits to Pitt the rest of the game.

Cal broke the stalemate in the top of the third. Natalie Marshall took one for the team, and a single from Emma Jackson put runners on first and second with no outs. On the following at-bat, Everett fouled out in left field, but a throwing error by Pitt’s defense brought Harmony Andrade (pinch running for Marshall) home for Cal’s first run of the day. After Carly Raven walked to first, Maddie Rey brought home Jackson from third with a well placed bunt single. Gator Robinson reached first with another walk, loading the bases for Cal. Kayli Counts took advantage by knocking a sacrifice fly deep into center field that gave Raven plenty of time to reach home from third, securing a 3-0 lead for the Bears.

A short 1-2-3 bottom of the third brought Cal’s lineup back to the plate. Instead of just adding on to their lead, the Golden Bears tore off a massive eight run lead as California batted around. D’Auna Johnson started off the fourth with a single into shallow left field. It would take just one pitch to bring the senior back to the dugout as Marshall hit a bomb into deep left field, picking up two runs on her first home run of the season. A couple at-bats later, a wild pitch sent Jackson sprinting home from third for Cal’s sixth run, while Everett reached third. A pair of walks and a single brought Everett home and loaded the bases with Raven, Rey, and Robinson reaching third, second, and first respectively.

On the second pitch of the following at-bat, Kayli Counts secured some revenge for the walkoff grand slam Pitt scored in the previous game by sending a rocket of her own into deep left field, clearing the bases as Cal went up 11-0. The grand salami was Counts’ second home run of the season, and Cal’s first slam of the season. Peacock returned to the circle to defend the Bears’ lead the rest of the way with ease. The Panthers attempted to rally in the bottom of the fourth with runners on first and second, however Cal quickly turned a double play to maintain the shutout. In the bottom of the fifth, it only took twelve pitches for Peacock to end the game, securing her first complete game shutout of the season.

The Golden Bears’ bats were white hot in their second contest against the Panthers, picking up 10 hits on 24 at-bats. Kayli Counts went 1-3 with a grand slam and a sacrifice fly for 5 RBI’s, Natalie Marshall went 1-1 with a 2-run home run while being hit by a pitch twice, and Maddie Rey went 2-3 with a pair of singles and 2 RBI’s. From the field: Cal recorded a clutch 5-3 double play in the bottom of the fourth when Rey nabbed a line drive and threw out a runner trying to return to first. WP: Taylor Peacock (2-4) 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 K. LP: Kyra Pittman (7-8) 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.

Sunday, Game 3: Cal 9 - 1 Pitt (6)
With the series split between Cal and Pitt, the rubber match represented Cal’s final chance to take a conference series. The Bears did not disappoint in their season finale, getting off to a hot start they never looked back from. With two outs down in the top of the first, Rey went yard to deep center field to get Cal on the board. In the bottom of the same frame, Kiki Mashhoud became the final pitcher to enter the circle for California this season, giving up just a single but keeping Pitt from scoring.

In the top of the second, Kayla Lee snuck a first pitch single through the infield, and Marshall followed that up with her second home run in as many games, widening the deficit to three. From there, both offenses cooled off dramatically, with Mashhoud keeping Pitt silent through four innings. After quiet third and fourth innings, a walk for Raven and a single from Rey would put runners on first and second with no outs. A sacrifice fly to center field off the bat of Robinson brought Raven home, and a double from Counts gave Cal a 5-0 lead when Counts crossed the plate.

Up by five in the top of the sixth, the Bears were cruising towards a victory when a hit by pitch, a fielding error, and a bunt single loaded the bases with no outs. Instead of outlasting the Panthers into the seventh, Cal decided to end the game early with a mercy rule win. Raven hit the first pitch sent her way back up the middle for a 2-RBI single, scoring pinch runner Xiomei Geluz from third and Jackson from second. Anaya Togia added her own 2-RBI single to the mix, giving Cal a 9-0 lead as they entered the bottom of the sixth. Pitt clawed back one run in the bottom of the frame thanks to a sacrifice fly, however Mashhoud shut the door on the Panthers immediately after, giving Cal their first series win of the season.

Cal was productive again with their bats against Pitt, recording 9 hits on 28 at-bats. Maddie Rey picked up another impressive day at the dish, going 2-4 with a single and a solo home run, Natalie Marshal went 1-3 with her second home run of the season (and her third hit by pitch in two games), and Anaya Togia and Carly Raven each recorded 2-RBI singles to put the game on ice. Finally, Kayla Lee stole one last base this season. WP: Kiki Mashhoud (3-9) 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K. LP: Mia Kliethermes (5-2) 4.0 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 3 BB.

Final Reflections:
Without a doubt, this is the best Cal has played all year. Despite dropping game one and being clinched out of the ACC and NCAA tournaments, Cal put up one hell of a fight against Pitt and gave fans an electrifying season finale. Five Golden Bears hit eight homers, scoring fourteen total runs. Three batters (Kayli Counts, Natalie Marshall, and Sophia Everett) each hit two home runs, with Everett recording two in one game. Meanwhile, the season’s only grand slam arrived off the bat of Counts just in time to put down Pitt in game two. From the circle, Taylor Peacock and Kiki Mashhoud threw their first complete games of the season, with Peacock earning her first complete game shutout. The two sophomore pitchers were absolutely clutch in their individual performances, giving up just nine hits and only a single run between them. The Bears were firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball, making short work of the Pitt Panthers to win the series.

Post-Series Win Ice Cream Stop From @Calsb

2026 was a truly unprecedented season for Cal Softball. The Bears finished the season by jumping up in the ACC standings from 15th to 13th, just barely missing out on the ACC Tournament. I will be putting together a season wrap up article in the near future to review it as a whole, but for now, I will bring this article to a close with a short message to our readers—and to the greater Cal Softball community.

Thank you very much for joining us for another year of Cal Softball. I’ll be back soon to cover Cal’s transfer portal moves–and any other softball news–as it happens. Until then: Go Bears!

Cal LB Kamar Mothudi on Following Tosh Lupoi, Ramadan, What The Bears Can Become

Wed, 06 May 2026 16:03:22 GMT

Kamar Mothudi’s path to Cal was straightforward, built on a pre-existing relationship with Tosh Lupoi from Oregon.

“It’s definitely been a transition, but something that’s been exciting. Coach T, that’s my guy. Recruited me, spent my two years with him at Oregon. Love him, and I’m just grateful to be here with him.”

When he entered the portal, the connection made the decision easy.

“There were definitely a few places I was considering, but you can’t beat relationships. I already had rapport with Coach Leo. That was really the main thing.”

Mothudi arrived with firsthand knowledge of what a College Football Playoff program looks like from the inside, and he’s trying to bring those habits with him.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is honestly the qualities of a playoff team, whether that’s guys getting in extra work or being connected outside of football. Just the things we were doing at Oregon that led to our success, bringing those qualities to Cal.”

He already sees those qualities taking shape.

“100%. I definitely think our pillars, relentless effort, power unit, all those things that Coach Tosh is building the program on, are based off those. So it definitely all goes together.”

The practice environment at Cal felt familiar right away.

“Tough, competitive. Hard nose practices and that’s what we need. It’s good for us.”

First pads day brought a simple verdict.

“It’s fun. Lot of fun. Great to be back hitting people, making plays.”

For Cal fans who haven’t seen him play yet, Mothudi offered a quick scouting report.

“Physical, exciting, strong hands. I love attacking the point of attack, striking players.”

Beyond football, Mothudi was featured in a Cal social media video about Ramadan, and he opened up about navigating fasting during spring ball as a Muslim athlete.

“I’m Muslim. Ramadan, you fast for 30 days from sunrise to sunset. I was raised Muslim, so I’ve been doing it since I was about five. You’re not obligated until you hit puberty, but I think it’s better to start early. Fasting, you can’t eat or drink any water. The main challenge is just getting in fluids and everything beforehand around 5:30 and then making sure I have enough to last through the day and then refueling at night.”

@kamar_mothudi & @SerigneT97 who continuously compete at the highest level while fasting, fully supported with the nutrition they need to perform.\n\n#GoBears ","username":"CalFootball","name":"Cal Football","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/1967571402929889280/b6gwGeg__normal.jpg","date":"2026-03-18T01:44:52.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/w_1028,c_limit,q_auto:best/l_twitter_play_button_rvaygk,w_88/nemuzs8fr96l968yf4kv","link_url":"https://t.co/pT1jD2yOMG"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":2,"retweet_count":16,"like_count":81,"impression_count":4923,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":"https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2034083450609917952/vid/avc1/720x900/XPepfjwNcwfzcQCO.mp4","belowTheFold":true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

The first padded practice while fasting was a real test.

“First practice, pads, hot. I was just extremely fatigued. Body feels heavy and then there’s no water. So it’s a lot of spraying on the face and back of the neck, just trying to keep myself cool externally because I can’t drink water.”

He’s been doing it long enough to know how to approach it mentally.

“I started off doing half days, just going from sunrise to like maybe 12 or one, and then extending that time as I got older. I think it’s about how you look at it. Some people view it as, oh, I can’t eat, I can’t drink. But you have to remember why you’re doing it. It’s to remember the people who might be less fortunate. So it’s a lot about perspective.”

On whether fasting offers any football benefit, Mothudi was honest.

“Honestly, probably not. It’s definitely hard, I’m losing body weight, I could cramp easier because of the fluids. But I do it because I almost feel like it gives me strength. I look at other athletes, like if Kyrie’s able to fast while dropping 30 in an NBA game, then I can definitely push myself through a football practice.”

And on what this Cal team can become, he kept it simple.

“I think we have something special. I love my team, I love our guys. Just going to keep focusing on what we’ve been focusing on and just keep going.”

Vote On The 25 Best Cal Football Players in the 21st Century (2001 to 2025)

Wed, 06 May 2026 13:03:26 GMT

@AP FEATURE - Jared Goff growing into role of Cal's 'Golden Boy' calbea.rs/1p44Lbi #GoBears ","username":"CalFootball","name":"Cal Football","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/1967571402929889280/b6gwGeg__normal.jpg","date":"2014-11-21T00:31:17.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/B27NZM5CEAAtMWW.jpg","link_url":"http://t.co/KPbbnzrqiY"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":0,"retweet_count":1,"like_count":4,"impression_count":0,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":false}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

Fill out the Google Form with your top 10+ Cal football players this week, and we will tabulate the results!

As we hit the quarter-point of the century, Cal fans, let’s take a look back.

Over the years, through success and failure (and, recently, a significant amount of failure), one thing that keeps us coming back to the California Golden Bears is the memories. Let’s recollect those moments for the blue and gold that will live in your minds forever.

Rank your favorite Cal football players (at least the top 10, so we know you have a core text of Cal history to leverage) from the last 25 years of being a Cal fan, and any comments you leave on these memories will be considered. We will rank them after we tabulate the results at the end of the week.

Fill out the Google Form with your top 10+ Cal football players!

DBD 2026-05-06: Seven Deadly Sins

Wed, 06 May 2026 08:25:55 GMT

Cal Freshman Linebacker JD McKinley on Making the Jump to Learning a New Position

Tue, 05 May 2026 14:08:51 GMT

True freshman JD McKinley arrived at Berkeley from Riverside County with a new position to learn and a new environment to navigate, and he’s taken both in stride.

“It’s definitely a lot more different from Southern California. It’s definitely a much bigger change in terms of the whole area. The coaching staff, obviously great coaches, I love all the coaches. I really do believe in this program and they’ve definitely helped me improve and learn football. I’m switching to a new position and everything and it’s definitely been a hard journey, but it’s been a fun journey. I’m really thankful for all the support that the coaches and staff have given me.”

On head coach Tosh Lupoi, McKinley was direct about the trust he’s already developed.

“Coach Lupoi, he’s definitely a character, very charismatic, someone that you can talk to about pretty much anything. He has a lot of good stuff to say. He’s been in this game for a really long time, played with really good people, coached really good people. I pretty much trust him with anything. If I got a question I can ask him. He’s definitely probably one of the biggest people in my life right now in terms of support.”

McKinley played edge throughout high school and is now making his first foray at inside linebacker.

“I played edge for most of my high school career with a little bit of outside backer. This is my first year playing middle backer.”

The adjustment comes with a new set of demands, and McKinley has a clear picture of what he wants his game to look like.

“I expect myself to be very smart in terms of the game, knowing formations, route combinations, and how to basically pick apart an offense and what they’re most likely going to run. Through development here, I feel like that’s going to become a big asset of my game.”

McKinley signed on December 3rd, essentially the day after Lupoi was named head coach, and his commitment was never contingent on who would be running the program.

“I decided I was going to sign anyway regardless of what the coaching staff would end up becoming, because I felt like Cal in itself is a great school. I believed in the program and trusted whatever coaches they were going to bring out here. I’m pretty grateful that I stuck with Berkeley for sure.”

Three or four practices in, the tempo has been the defining characteristic.

“High tempo. If you’re walking, you’re wrong. Just get to the football. That’s how I’d characterize it.”

And despite a room full of new faces, the linebacker group has already started to bond.

“I haven’t been here very long, but I have a pretty close relationship with my linebackers as a whole. We’ve already done some power unit stuff, just going out to dinner or something like that. I’m pretty good friends with all the backers. They’re really trustworthy, basically my new friends out here. It’s a pretty tight brotherhood.”

Vote On The 25 Best Cal Memories in the 21st Century (2001 to 2025)

Tue, 05 May 2026 13:07:52 GMT

@RexVolcano BEHOLD!!! ","username":"TwistNH7","name":"Twist","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/485977966526996480/byg-BkZ4_normal.jpeg","date":"2025-08-05T02:32:47.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/Gxjhcq-agAAZoBU.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/tdqDxWOcty"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":3,"retweet_count":0,"like_count":8,"impression_count":1118,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":false}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

Fill out the Google Form with your top 10+ Cal memories this week, and we will tabulate the results!

As we hit the quarter-point of the century, Cal fans, let’s take a look back.

Throughout the years, through success and failure (and recently, a significant amount of failure), one thing that keeps us coming back to the California Golden Bears has been the memories. Let’s recollect those moments for the blue and gold that will live in your minds forever.

Rank your favorite memories (at least the top 10, so we know you have a core text of Cal history to leverage) from the last 25 years from being a Cal fan, and any comments you leave on these memories will be considered. We will rank them after we tabulate the results at the end of the week.

Note: Since we are already ranking football games, please try and pick out moments or sequences within the game for this (example: The Play in the 1982 Big Game would fit, the 1982 Big Game itself would not).

Fill out the Google Form with your top 10+ Cal memories!

DBD 2026-05-05: Revenge of the Fifth

Tue, 05 May 2026 09:52:45 GMT

Cal Baseball: Hokies take Series in Berkeley

Tue, 05 May 2026 06:46:48 GMT

BERKELEY – For the first time in program history, the California Golden Bears and Virginia Tech Hokies faced off on the baseball diamond at Evans Diamond at Stu Gordon Stadium in Berkeley, CA. Cal and VT, now both full members of the ACC, did not meet last season for Cal’s inaugural year, but as season two comes along, and a Cal Bears baseball team that has improved, albeit lightly, rounded off their rotation of ACC regular season opponents with Virginia Tech, the two barely-above-.500 programs looked to secure a series win to improve their footing within the ACC standings, as Cal nears the bottom, and Virginia Tech fights for middle ground.

Game 1, Friday 5/1/2026: California 1 – Virginia Tech 9

To open up the weekend series at Stu Gordon Stadium, the California Golden Bears and Virginia Tech Hokies squared off on Friday night in Berkeley on Evans Diamond in front of a crowd of about 400 fans for a 6:05 PM first pitch. California’s Oliver de la Torre took the mound for the Golden Bears in his usual Friday opening start, while Virginia Tech’s Brett Renfrow, the No. 48 college prospect by D1Baseball in the 2026 MLB Draft, took the mound for the Hokies against the Cal offense.

Oliver de la Torre against VT (via CalBears.com)

Cal entered the game shorthanded, as they were without Jett Kenady, Jacob French, and Joshua Hanson in Friday night’s game, and saw Freshman shortstop Brady Errecart and Graduate Transfer second baseman Taichi Nakao fill in for the downed sluggers in the middle infield. VT would jump on the board first against the shorthanded Bears, as de la Torre worked through the first two innings with no issues – and got two quick outs in the top of the 3^rd to begin the inning against the Hokies. Henry Cooke then lined a two-out single to left, and Ethan Ball followed with a two-run home run to right to give VT the first run of the game and a quick 2-0 lead. Hudson Lutterman then followed with a double in the next at-bat, and two throwing errors on the play by Carl Schmidt AND Daniel Murillo allowed him to score from second and make it 3-0 before de la Torre would get out of the inning.

De la Torre would last six innings in this game and give up just the three runs (two earned) as Jett Wright would come in to replace him in the top of the 7^th. Wright would go on to give up a Leadoff single to Sam Grube before giving up back-to-back base hits to Henry Cooke and Ethan Ball to make it 4-0 VT, and Cal would finally respond with some offensive life in the bottom half of the inning as the two replacement players, Brady Errecart and Taichi Nakao would both collect a base hit in the inning, the latter of the two picking up an RBI on his to make it 4-1.

Cal would then bring in Take Kreis to relieve Wright in the 8^th, and after getting a quick strikeout to begin the inning, he walked Owen Petrich and Pete Daniel in back-to-back at-bats, thus ending his night, and bringing Cade Colombara in to try and get Cal out of the inning. Colombara would surrender an immediate two-RBI base hit to Grube, and VT would finish the inning up 6-1. They would add three more runs in the 9^th off of JJ Hollis on an RBI-single from Lutterman, and a two-run home run from Nick Locurto, and the Bears would end up stranding two runners on base in the bottom of the 9^th to drop game one by a final score of 9-1. California picked up just five hits in this game as VT steamrolled them offensively and defensively. Renfrow dominated the shorthanded-Cal offense, going 7.0 IP and allowing just four hits while striking out nine Bears. VT won game one dominantly, while California came out flat and ended in the dirt. Game 1: Virginia Tech. WP: Brett Renfrow (4-4, 7.0 IP, 4 H, ER, 3 BB, 9 K). LP: Oliver de la Torre (4-5, 6.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, BB, 3 K).

Game 2, Saturday 5/2/2026: California 2- Virginia Tech 6

Trying to bounce back from an embarrassing loss on Friday night, the California Golden Bears returned to Evans Diamond behind their most efficient pitcher this season, Gavin Eddy. Coming into this game, Eddy had not been charged with a loss since early April, and his coming off back-to-back starts where he completed eight innings of work.

Eddy was matched up against VT’s Logan Eisenreich, who made his third start for the Hokies on Saturday afternoon and his 14^th appearance on the mound this season. Both the Bears and Hokies came out of the gates flat as the first six batters were retired on both sides of the dugouts, but it was Virginia Tech who got the scoring started once again, as Sam Gates led off the 3^rd with a solo shot to right to make it 1-0, but that was not the only big hit of the inning, as Grube and Gibson would both reach base for Henry Cooke, who launched the first pitch he saw deep into left for a three-run home run to make it 4-0 Virginia Tech.

Gavin Eddy (via @CalBaseball on X)

California would finally respond, albeit quietly, in the bottom of the 4^th, as Lawson Olmstead lined an RBI-single to left to get the Bears on the board, but that would be all of the offense they would produce in the first half of this game as they would go empty handed until the bottom of the ninth, at which the Hokies had already added two more runs to their lead in the top of the 7^th on an RBI-single from Ethan Gibson off of Cole Clark, and an RBI-triple from Sam Grube off of Ryan Spalliero to make it 6-1 Hokies. Cal’s two runs of offensive production would be as much as a little-to-nothing as far as contributions would go, and the Bears would be sent back to their dorms/apartments with another ACC-series loss to their record in 2026. Game three on Sunday would be a determining factor for Cal if they went into this week below .500, something they have not had to concern themselves with since early-April when Georgia Tech came to Berkeley and smoked Cal like the glade on 420. Eddy’s 10 K’s and just four hits allowed would not be enough juice for the Bears to win this game, and VT looked to finish the sweep on Sunday. Game 2: Virginia Tech. WP: Logan Eisenreich (1-2, 5.0 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 8 K). LP: Gavin Eddy (6-3, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, ER, BB, 10 K).

Game 3, Sunday 5/3/2026: California 9 – Virginia Tech 4

California came out on Sunday in the hunt for a multitude of things. Number one, they did not want to get swept. A sweep from Virginia Tech would put the Bears back below .500, and in dead last behind Clemson in the ACC standings… not that that even matters anymore. Number two, California was looking for its first lead in the series. Cal had not once led in a single game over the weekend, and after having two decent/quality starts from their starters in de la Torre and Eddy, they just needed some offensive momentum to match the performances of their hard-fought pitching.

Brady Errecart against VT (via @CalBaseball on X)

Getting the start for the Golden Bears on Sunday afternoon at Stu Gordon Stadium was Ethan Foley rather than Otto Espinoza, who has now been slated in the “TBA” Sunday spot for four straight starts for California. Foley and the Bears were up against Griffin Stieg, a junior RHP who had started in all 11 games he appeared in this season for the Hokies.

After getting nothing across in the 1^st, Cal jumped on the board first for the only time this series with an RBI-single from Brady Errecart in the bottom half of the 2^nd, which kick-started a five-run rally for the Bears that was fueled by a squeeze bunt RBI and a three-run blast from Hideki Prather. VT would immediately respond in the top of the 3^rd with a two-run shot from Sam Grube, but the Bears added those two runs right back in the bottom of the 4^th as Hideki Prather launched his second home run of the game, this time a two-run shot to deep left field over the RSF to make it 7-2 California.

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Foley would pitch 6.0 innings for the Golden Bears in his stellar start where he allowed just three runs on seven hits, as Cal would give their pitcher some much needed offensive support and security with another two insurance runs in the bottom half of the 8^th to make it 9-3, as VT would score once more in the top half of the 9^th, but it was far too large of a lead in Berkeley for the Hokies to overcome and complete a sweep with. The Bears would get out of the series avoiding falling below .500, avoiding holding last place in the conference solely to themselves, and avoiding a sweep from the team from Blacksburg.

Game 3: California. WP: Ethan Foley (4-3, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 7 K). LP: Griffin Stieg (2-3, 4.0 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 2 K).

The California Golden Bears return to action tomorrow night with a midweek OOC game against the University of Pacific Tigers in Stockton, CA. First pitch will be at 6:00 PM on ESPN+, then California travels to Charlottesville, VA, to take on the No. 23 Cavaliers for the second-to-last ACC series of the season.

Vote On The 25 Best Cal Football Games in the 21st Century (2001 to 2025)

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:03:30 GMT

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Fill out the Google Form with your top 10+ Cal games this week, and we will tabulate the results!

As we hit the quarter-point of the century Cal fans, let’s take a look back.

Throughout the years, through success and failure (and recently, a significant amount of failure), one thing that keeps us coming back to the California Golden Bears has been the memories. Let’s take a log of the best times, and commit them to memory here.

Rank your favorite games (at least the top 10, so we know you have a core text of Cal history to leverage) from the last 25 years, and if you have any additional comments, please leave them at the end! We will rank them after we tabulate the results at end of week.

We will be using this century only for this list, so all memories from 2000 are not eligible. Sorry to those of you who wanted MORE late-stage Tom Holmoe to hold onto. But this’ll be spanning games from 2001 to 2025 only.

Fill out the Google Form with your top 10+ Cal games!