ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Caltech baseball team opened up the 2026 season with a three-game series against Bethesda University California, taking Games 2 and 3 in an exciting road doubleheader.

With a close 5-4 victory in Saturday's early game, Head Coach Frank Craska also picked up his first victory as Caltech's new skipper.

"I was proud of the group to come out and secure a series victory to kick off the 2026 season," said Craska. "Our seniors and coaching staff have done a phenomenal job all fall and preseason to have the team ready to continue to build on the momentum the program built last year. Numerous players stepped up and contributed in numerous roles."

Craska highlighted sophomore two-way player Quinn Hartman (Huntington Beach, Calif. / Marina), who scored one of the Beavers' five runs with a hit and a stolen base, also earning the win after coming in from left field to pitch the final four innings.

First-year Riley Foard (San Francisco, Calif. / San Francisco University HS) led the Caltech offense with three hits and a run scored in the early game,  as seven other Beavers also recorded base hits in a strong showing from the entire batting order.

Saturday's afternoon game was much more one-sided as Caltech dominated the scheduled seven-inning contest with eight runs in the first two innings, en route to a 13-4 walloping of the host Lion Angels. Hartman tallied another three runs, just behind senior Brendan Flaherty (Narragansett, RI / Lake Forest Academy) who racked up four runs in the day's second game after scoring the winning run in the morning contest.

Craska and the Beavers will host the California Miramar University Fighting Falcons in a three-game homestand on Feb. 6-7, followed by a three-game home series against Kalamazoo College Feb. 13-14.