The Bears defeat UC Davis in their home opener en route to 14 straight wins as they look to take on No. 3 Georgia and Boise State in the DeMarini Invitational at the Farm.
After a 16-game road trip to start the 2024 season, Cal swung into its home opener against UC Davis on Wednesday, winning 1-0.
“No better way to open up our home games than with a dub and a good performance by the team. It’s always fun to be at our field and have our fans behind us,” said Cal’s ace pitcher Haylei Archer.
The win now makes Cal 19-1 against the Aggies, having yet to drop one in six straight matchups dating back to 2018.
The Bears — a team that’s now scored 110 runs (6.5 runs per game) on the season — struggled bringing runners home after a first-inning series beginning with a Tatum Anzaldo single and a Kaylee Pond double that ultimately ended with an Acacia Anders RBI to bring in Cal’s first and only score of the contest.
Fortunately for the Bears, Archer put up an absolute clinic in the circle. Pitching a complete game, Archer faced 26 batters, striking out six (tied season-high), allowing just two hits and no runs for her second win of the season and the 26th of her career.
“The feeling of being a senior, I just feel more composed, prepared and relaxed out there. I trust my defense. I trust my coaches and I feel good. I feel ready to perform whenever I go out there. So, just being in that relaxed state really allows me to throw my best,” Archer said following her final home opener as a Bear.
The third shutout of the season makes it 14 straight wins for the Bears — their most since 2013 (22). Cal is now off to its best start since 2018 and at 16-1 on the season, it is tied with Arizona for the best record in the Pac-12.
“It’s just fun. It is fun to come to practice. It is fun to travel and play games. We have a good time. We’re relaxed. We’re loose. We joke around with each other, but we know when and how to lock in,” Archer said. “I’m proud to be a part of this team. It just puts a smile on my face knowing that I get to play for this team and that we’re doing so well because we’ve been working really hard.”
The road continues for the Bears as they will take a trip across the Bay to the Farm for the annual DeMarini Invitational.
At the end of that stop will be No. 3 Georgia (13-1) and Boise State (11-5).
“We play top-10 opponents in our conference (consistently) and (Georgia) is another game where we have to play our best. The team that’s going to win is the team that plays the best, whether you’re ranked third or 24th. Excited to go to war … and we can’t forget about Boise State, that's a great team too. It's a big weekend for us,” said Cal head coach Chelsea Spencer.
The Bulldogs, who Cal will play twice over the weekend, will be by far the best opponent the blue and gold have faced all season. Georgia has notched wins over five ranked teams with a score differential of plus-21 in those games.
Cal, already ranked in all four major polls and peaking at No. 20, has an opportunity to jump higher in the rankings if it escapes the invitational with a couple wins under its belt.
“When we go out there, we’re really just playing ourselves. We’re not focused on who the opponent is or what their shirt says, we’re just trying to be better each day and continue to grow this team and this culture,” Archer said.
The first pitch will be on Friday at 10 a.m., followed by a double-header on Saturday and then the finale at home on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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