IRVINE, Calif. — The Big West has announced that the UC Santa Barbara Baseball team's April 19 game against UC Irvine will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
 
The Gauchos played one nationally televised game during the 2025 season, taking down the Cal Poly Mustangs on ESPNU. Santa Barbara had a 5-4 victory in front of a sellout crowd at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium, with AJ Krodel providing a showstopping performance, striking out seven Mustangs in 4 2/3 innings to earn the win. The last time Santa Barbara was on ESPN2, the Gauchos similarly earned a 5-4 win over then-No. 16 UC Irvine, where Mike Guiterrez held the Anteaters scoreless over six innings and Nick Oakley and Jonathan Mendez combined to drive in four of the Gauchos' five runs, earning the win.
 
The game is now set to begin at 2 p.m. on April 19 from Anteater Ballpark in Irvine. All of Santa Barbara's other Big West contests will be live on ESPN+.