BERKELEY, Calif. — In the middle day of its four-game series against California, San Diego baseball lost twice in a Saturday doubleheader at Stu Gordon Stadium.

Despite holding 4-0 and 6-2 advantages in the opening contest, the Toreros (7-7, 0-0 WCC) lost 15-9 in the first game and 9-1 in the second game to the Golden Bears (12-4, 0-0 ACC).

Game 1: California 15, San Diego 9 

San Diego took an early lead but was unable to hang on in the first game of the doubleheader, dropping a 15-9 decision.

USD's bats started out strong before Torero starter Kyle Bade threw a pitch, taking advantage of a Golden Bears' fielding error with CJ Moran up. 

Jayden Lobliner made the most of the miscue by continuing his strong approach at the plate, ripping an RBI double to the right-center field gap to score Gabe Springer. 

Then, after Aden Howard recorded a bunt single, Tanner Kern sent a towering three-run homer run over the right-center field to cap the four-run first inning.  

In the second, the Toreros tacked on two more runs.

A leadoff double by Gage Mestas was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Cade Martinez and a walk drawn by Gabe Springer.

After stealing second, Springer advanced to third on balk, which also plated Mestas with Connor Meidroth in the box. Then, a couple pitches later, Meidroth went the other way for an RBI single, bringing Springer home for a two-run second that gave USD a 6-2 lead. 

Bade went four innings and struck out five before Hayden Cody threw an inning. Logan Piper and Chaz McRoberts combined to pitch the final three frames. 

Cal Berkeley answered back with two runs in the bottom of the second to bring it back to a two-run margin before scoring three times in the fifth and five times in the sixth. 

In between that, Springer lined a double to right center field, scoring Mestas. 

The Golden Bears poured on three more runs in the 8th. 

San Diego did not go down lightly in the ninth. Springer led off the inning with a home run to right field before Diego Gonzalez, pinch running for Meidroth at second base, scored on an RBI single by Lobliner to cut the lead down to six.   

Game 2: California 9, San Diego 1

The Toreros faced a 5-0 deficit after the first inning before putting a run across in the second when Phoenix Brant recorded his first collegiate home run by sending a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall. 

San Diego had another chance in the third inning on a couple of one-out singles from Gabe Springer and Gage Mestas before an double play ended the scoring threat.

Fernando Palencia got the start in the nightcap of the doubleheader. He allowed seven hits, five runs (four earned) and a walk and struck out five. 

Palencia was able to settle down after the first inning, allowing just one hit over his final three innings of work. 

Porter Rovin then came in and worked two innings. He had two scoreless frames, including finishing the seventh with consecutive strikeouts before allowing three runs in the eighth. Rovin gave way to Caleb Sebek, who finished the game on the mound for the Toreros.
 
NOTABLE  

• Springer, who had been hitless in his last four games, broke out with a 4-for-4 performance in the leadoff spot with three runs scored, two RBI, a double and a home run, while coming a triple shy of the cycle in Saturday's first game. It marked Springer's first four-hit game in a Toreros uniform as he blasted his second home run of 2026.
• Lobliner logged his second straight three-hit game in the opener,  going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a hit by pitch. 
• Meidroth, who got the start at shortstop in the first game, went 2-for-5 in the No. 2 spot of the lineup in game one with an RBI. It is his third multi-hit game this season and his first since facing Utah (February 20)
• Mestas also registered a two-hit game in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader, going 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored for hit first multi-hit game in a Torero uniform 
• After recording his first pitching appearance Friday night, the trend of collegiate firsts continued for Brant, who homered for the first time in college on a longball that went past the left field wall in the nightcap.
• Palencia recorded five strikeouts in game two of the doubleheader.

UP NEXT 
San Diego will wrap up its series at Cal on Sunday. First pitch between the Toreros and the Golden Bears is slated for 1 p.m. The game will also be streamed live on the ACC Network via ESPN+.