SAN DIEGO — Winners of six of its first eight games to begin the 2026 season, San Diego baseball (6-2, 0-0 WCC) is back at home this weekend to host Michigan (4-3, 0-0 Big Ten) for a three-game set at Fowler Park and Cunningham Field.

First pitch for game one of the series is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Friday night, followed by another 6:00 p.m. start on Saturday and a 1:00 p.m. finale on Sunday afternoon.

Braden Surprenant (play-by-play) and Mike Gosling (analyst) will have the call on ESPN+ for all three games. A live audio simulcast will be available on USDToreros.com, and live statistics will be provided on StatBroadcast.

LAST TIME OUT: Toreros Dominate Tony Gwynn Classic, Fall in Extras at UCSD
• San Diego opened its 2026 home schedule in commanding fashion last week, sweeping all three games it played in the Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament to improve to 6-1 on the season.

• The Toreros kicked things off with an 8-4 victory over Utah on Feb. 20 before erupting for 15 runs in a run-rule win over Creighton the following evening, 15-5 in seven innings.

• USD kept the momentum rolling on Feb. 22, traveling to Tony Gwynn Stadium and defeating rival San Diego State 15-4 to close out the tournament.

• Over the three-game stretch, San Diego scored 38 runs and showcased balanced contributions throughout the lineup, with Andrew Gauna going 3-for-5 with four RBIs at SDSU.

• The Toreros then headed to La Jolla on Feb. 24 for a non-conference matchup at UC San Diego that went the distance. USD led 7-4 down the stretch before the Tritons rallied to force extras, ultimately winning 8-7 in 10 innings.

• Despite the losing result, Jayden Lobliner homered and drove in three runs, while Gabe Springer collected three hits and two RBIs in a game that saw the Toreros total 14 hits on the night. San Diego enters the week at 6-2 overall.

FOR STARTERS (PROBABLE)
FRIDAY — TBA
SATURDAY — TBA
SUNDAY — TBA

ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST MICHIGAN
• The Toreros hold a 9-5 all-time edge over the Wolverines, with the two programs most recently squaring off during the 2024 season at Ray Fisher Stadium.

• That three-game series, played from March 15–17, 2024 in Ann Arbor, was a statement trip for San Diego. The Toreros took the opener 8–6, then erupted for 16 runs in a dominant Game 2 victory.

• San Diego ultimately left with a 2-1 series win, which came after USD beat Michigan 9-1 earlier in that 2024 season in a neutral-site game at Dodger Stadium

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aden Howard | OF | Sophomore | Carrollton, TX | Hebron HS / Dallas Baptist
• The Carrollton, Texas native has been one of the most versatile offensive threats in the Toreros' lineup, batting .314 (11-for-35) with a home run, three triples, seven RBI, and a team-leading 12 runs scored through eight games. He has reached base safely in every contest and is 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts.

• He enters Friday night's action on an eight-game hit streak.

• Howard announced himself early, scoring the Toreros' first run of 2026 on an RBI single in the opening game at Charlotte (Feb. 13). He put together the biggest performance of the opening series in the finale (Feb. 14, Game 2), going 3-for-6 with two triples and two RBI in USD's 14-4 win.

• At Long Beach State (Feb. 17), he delivered the go-ahead blow with a two-RBI double off the second base bag in the eighth inning, scoring Andrew Gauna and Tanner Kern.

• Howard continued his strong play in the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament, clubbing his first home run of the season against Utah (Feb. 20) and adding a triple and RBI against Creighton (Feb. 21).

• He went 1-for-6 with four strikeouts at UC San Diego (Feb. 24), but drove in a run and stole a base in the 10-inning loss.

Jayden Lobliner | C | Senior | St. Charles, IL | St. Charles North HS / Kansas State
• The reigning WCC Defensive Player of the Year has been the most productive hitter in the Toreros' lineup, batting .361 (13-for-36) through eight games with four home runs, 13 RBI, a .722 slugging percentage, and a perfect 3-for-3 mark on stolen base attempts.

• After going a combined 1-for-7 in the first two games at Charlotte, Lobliner broke out in the series finale (Feb. 14, Game 2) with a two-run homer and a bases-clearing double for four RBI in USD's 14-4 win. He then homered again at Long Beach State (Feb. 17) to ignite the comeback, delivering a solo shot to center field in the seventh inning to put USD on the board after trailing 2-0.

• Lobliner continued his power surge in the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament, blasting solo shots in back-to-back games against Utah (Feb. 20) and Creighton (Feb. 21) before turning in his best game of the season against the Bluejays — going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and an RBI single for three RBI. He had another big game at UC San Diego (Feb. 24), going 4-for-6 with his fourth home run of the season and three RBI in the 10-inning loss.
 
Gabe Springer | INF | Graduate | Boulder, CO | Fairview HS / Stanford
• The Stanford transfer has been a catalyst atop the Toreros' lineup all season, batting .375 (9-for-24) with a .625 on-base percentage, a .792 slugging percentage, 11 runs scored, eight RBI, and three stolen bases. He leads the country with 11 hit-by-pitches through eight games.

• Springer opened the season with an RBI double at Charlotte (Feb. 13) and followed with a home run and two RBI in the series finale (Feb. 14, Game 2). At Long Beach State (Feb. 17), he came up with the defensive play of the game — a diving catch in the 10th inning with the bases loaded to end the threat and keep the game tied, setting the stage for USD's three-run 11th.

• He was at his best in the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament, going 2-for-2 with a triple, an RBI, three hit-by-pitches, a stolen base, and five runs scored against Creighton (Feb. 21), then going 1-for-3 with a double, two RBI, a walk, two stolen bases, and two runs scored in the 15-4 rout of San Diego State (Feb. 22). Against UC San Diego (Feb. 24), he went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and two hit-by-pitches.
 
Andrew Gauna | OF | Graduate | San Diego, CA | Patrick Henry HS / San Diego Mesa / Cal State Northridge
• The San Diego native and hometown product has emerged as a key run producer in the middle of the Toreros' lineup, batting .267 (8-for-30) with eight RBI, a .405 on-base percentage, and a home run through eight games. He has driven in at least one run in four of his last five appearances.

• He enters Friday night's action on a four-game hit streak.

• Gauna's most impactful stretch came during the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament. In the series finale at San Diego State (Feb. 22), he went 3-for-5 with a double and four RBI, tying for game-high honors and capping USD's opening-inning three-run burst with a two-run single to the opposite field.

• The following Tuesday at UC San Diego (Feb. 24), he recorded his first home run in a Toreros uniform — a solo shot to left in the third inning — and added an RBI on a groundout in the seventh, finishing 1-for-4 with a walk and two RBI in the 8-7 loss.

• A local product who attended Patrick Henry High School and San Diego Mesa College before transferring from Cal State Northridge, Gauna has appeared in all eight of USD's games this season.

CJ Moran | UTIL | Sophomore | Murrieta, CA | Murrieta Mesa HS / San Diego State
• The Murrieta, California native and San Diego State transfer has been one of the steadiest contributors in the Toreros' lineup, batting .294 (10-for-34) with a home run, 10 RBI, a .415 on-base percentage, and four stolen bases through eight games.

• He has scored 11 runs, matching Howard for the team lead, and enter's Friday night's action on a four-game hit streak.

• Moran was quietly productive in the opening series at Charlotte, drawing four walks and scoring twice in the opener (Feb. 13) before going 2-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored in the series finale (Feb. 14, Game 2).

• He emerged as a major offensive force in the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament, going 2-for-5 with a two-RBI single and a two-RBI double against Creighton (Feb. 21), then delivering his first home run in a Torero uniform — a three-run blast to right field in the sixth inning — as part of a 3-for-5, four-RBI, four-run performance in the 15-4 rout of crosstown rival San Diego State (Feb. 22).

• Moran went 2-for-6 with a double and two runs scored at UC San Diego (Feb. 24), continuing to hit in the middle of a productive lineup even in the 10-inning loss.

• The sophomore hit .377 with 36 RBI in 44 starts at San Diego State in 2025 before transferring to USD.