So one game isn’t enough information to make solid predictions about the rest of the season. All right. Then let me just say that I had a good feeling watching the Cal baseball team beat Kansas State 5-1 today, even though the wind was freezing and the Wildcats fan base was acting like they had never seen anyone paint corners quite like Tyson Ross.

One of the K-State faithful did bring himself to admit (out loud, no less) that “(Ross is) a pretty good pitcher.”  This is true. The junior hung a 2-2 breaking ball to Wildcats leadoff man Jordan Cruz in the first inning and Cruz lifted it over the 365 sign in right-center to ensure that Ross would not, in fact, have an ERA of 0.00 for the season. But once that was out of the way, Ross took over completely, striking out seven in five innings and not surrendering another hit.

He and Daniel Wolford—the Long Beach State transfer who saw his first action with the Bears—combined for a one-hitter, striking out 12 and facing just five batters over the minimum.

“Accidents happen,” Ross said about the home run with a grin and a shrug.

Ross looked like his usual dominant self after a long first inning that was pushed back a few minutes by rain, getting more and more fluid as the game went on. He retired most of the batters that he faced on strikeouts or weak grounders, had a backhand stab on a sharp comebacker, and hopefully made a decent impression on the 30 or so scouts that turned out at Evans Diamond to see him throw.

What really has me excited about this year, though, is the lineup. One through nine, Cal is just stacked with guys that can hit and know how to get on base.  People might question coach David Esquer’s decision to have Rich Gorman as his designated hitter, but I love this idea and it looked sound today. Gorman’s listed at 5-foot-10 in the media guide (so subtract a few inches), but he’s scrappy at the plate and he has some quick hands to the ball—showed it by absolutely lacing an inside fastball to right field in his first at-bat, and then shooting another line drive to right-center for a double in the third. And with Gorman leading off Cal basically has three good contact guys at the top of the lineup who can set the stage for David Cooper and Josh Satin in the fourth and fifth slots.

Plus, one of the biggest hits in the game came from Michael Brady out of the ninth hole in the fourth inning. Esquer called for a hit and run with runners on first and second and no outs, and Brady executed to perfection, lining a single into right and driving in a run.

Today at least, there was really no weak link in this lineup.

“Our lineup is pretty deep from top to bottom,” Ross said. “I mean, I feel like today was a quiet day for them. I just can’t wait to see what happens with these doubleheaders and then when we get to the midweek games with depleted staffs, they’re going to put some real numbers up.”

Scary.

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