• The Cal State Bakersfield baseball team goes against challenging and familiar opponents this week. 
• Head Coach Jordon Banfield returns a core group of `Runners who excelled during the 2025 season and bolstered the roster with his first full year of recruiting. 
  • This year’s Roadrunner squad features 17 returners and 26 newcomers. 
• Banfield enjoys an uncommon circumstance in that he returns all three of his weekend starters from the 2025 season: Ryan King, Shane McAlinden, and Jacob Gutierrez. 
• Bakersfield’s offensive firepower has been on display through the first three weeks of the season. 
  • The `Runners are averaging over 7 runs per game and CSUB has slugged 19 home runs already. 
• Earning a 20% increase in wins from 2024 to 2025 despite the fact that Banfield had to throw a schedule and a team together at the last minute, so CSUB is optimistic about the 2026 season outlook. 

CSUB at #11 USC  

• CSUB travels to challenge on #11 USC: 
  • Mar. 18 
  • Los Angeles, Calif.  
• The `Runners will be meeting up with 12-time national champions, the Trojans.  
  • The Roadrunners have gone against USC for a total of 8 times, all-time series going in favor of the Trojans, 7-1.  
• USC proves to be a challenging opponent for Bakersfield being undefeated within home games.  
  • The Trojans have only lost one game this season so far against Northwestern, 1-2.  
• Schedule & Links 

CSUB vs. Long Beach State  

• CSUB welcomes the Beach to the Hardt Field: 
  • Steal a deal Friday ($5 Runner Gold Beer) / Youth Jersey Giveaway / Kids 12 and Under Free / Kids Runs the Bases Post Game 
  • Mar. 20-22 
  • Bakersfield, Calif./Hardt Field  
  • Purchase tickets ahead of time at GoRunners.com/Tickets 
    • Skip the line, buy online! 
• The `Runners will be meeting up with the Beach for the 17th time in the all-time series.  
  • LBSU is currently leading the all-time series, 9-8. 
  • Bakersfield is currently in a 2-game winning streak against the Beach.  
• Bakersfield met Long Beach at the Kleberg Classic last month, the `Runners were scoring since the 2ndinning ending the game early in the 7th inning against the Beach taking the victory, 15-2.  

• The Cal State Bakersfield softball team takes a trip to Davis to face off against a long-time rival the Aggies. 
• This year’s Roadrunner squad features 9 returners and 14 newcomers. 
• Marianna Narvaiz, Hannah Garcia, Alexia Castro, and Faith Steffany bring the most experience back in the group of veteran `Runners. 
• A trio of `Runner freshmen – Kayla Whaley, Jayda Eaton, and Molly Gill – as well as veteran outfielder Aariana Harrison have been the offensive highlights for the squad thus far in the season. 
  • All four are batting over .300 with Harrison leading the team with a .400 batting average. 
• The `Runners won their first ever series against CSUN, 2-1. 

CSUB at UC Davis  

• Cal State Bakersfield is back on the road: 
  • Mar. 21-22 
  • Davis, Calif.  
• CSUB will compete in three games over two days of action, including a doubleheader on Saturday.  
• Bakersfield and Davis will be meeting for the 82nd time in the all-time series, the Aggies leading the series, 42-38-1. 
• Last year against UC Davis, the `Runners won the series against the Aggies, 2-1.  
  • From being tied in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Roadrunners were able to hit one final grand slam to win in the end making it the first Big West opening series win for CSUB since joining the conference.  
• Schedule & Links 

• The Cal State Bakersfield beach volleyball team will continue the 2026 season with another road trip, once again taking on familiar opponents. 
• Led by third-year Head Coach Andy Fulenwider, the 2026 edition of the Roadrunners features 11 returners and 7 newcomers. 
• Vivi Kaelin, Ella Ensign, and Katey Milne bring the most experience back in the solid group of veteran `Runners. 
  • Among several other newcomers, Fulenwider welcomed to the squad Kendall Kaelin, a graduate transfer who is the older sister of Vivi Kaelin. The siblings are expected to pair together in the sane this season. 
• Cal State Bakersfield is set to start going against Big West opponents.  

CSUB at Big West Challenge  

• The `Runners will contest six matches over a pair of days: 
  • Mar. 21-22 
  • Long Beach, CA / on the campus of Long Beach State 
• Cal State Bakersfield’s toughest competitor of the weekend will be Long Beach State, a team leading in the all-time series against CSUB 23-0. 
• Saturday consists of three games against some long-time foes Sacramento, CSUN, and Hawai’i.  
  • CSUB’s longest opponent is CSUN having played in the all-time series a number of 38 times.  
• Sunday games include long time opponents Cal Poly, UC Davis, and Long Beach State. 
• Bakersfield will be competing against these six opponents in the course of two days.  
• Schedule & Links 

• The Cal State Bakersfield track and field program travels to the Coast for the Mark Conover Classic.  
• CSUB has 14 regular-season outdoor competitions on the schedule.   
  • The Big West Track and Field Championships will take place May 15-16.   
• Newcomer Francisco Felix Jr broke the school record last week in the men’s 5,000m.  
• Senior Javier Toro and sophomore Makiah Parker are two returners who qualified for the NCAA West First Round’s last year.
• Bakersfield has already seen eight athletes qualify for the Big West Championships in May including the reigning Big West champion in the 200m and runner-up in the 100m, Makiah Parker.   

CSUB at Mark Conover Classic - Mar. 21 

• The Mark Conover Classic is named to honor the late Head Coach of Cal Poly and former Olympian, Mark Conover.  
• All events will take place on Saturday. 
• Javier Toro will compete in the men’s hammer throw, he is currently the leader in the Big West. He will be joined by Adam Torres, Daniel Hartman, and Tyler Balgeman.  
• Toro, Torres, and Balgeman will also compete in the men’s shot put.  
• Newcomer Francisco Felix will race the men’s 3,000m. 
  • Felix is coming off a huge performance where he placed second overall in the men’s 5,000n with a time of 14:23.61. He now holds the second fastest time in CSUB history and is already the school record holder in the 3,000m. 
• Ethan Lavina will return to competition in both the horizontal jumps. 
• On the women’s side, Makiah Parker will compete in both the 100m and 200m. She will be joined by fellow teammates Teague Marzetta and Amiera Hollis.  
• Adeline Rangel and Julie Johnson will toe the line in the 400m. Rangel is coming off a personal best and was slightly off qualifying for the conference championships.  
• Emilia Mandela and Ivy Miller will race in the hurdle events. 
• Grace Padron is set to compete in the hammer throw. She currently holds the fifth best mark in school history.  
• Rain Gomez will be in the 1,500m 
• Schedule & Links