Baseball will return to Joe Etzel Field as the Portland Pilots host the Niagara Purple Eagles in their first home series of the 2026 season. The teams are set for a three-game matchup from Friday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 1. Friday and Sunday’s games will be available on ESPN+, while Saturday’s contest will be streamed on YouTube and offer free entry to fans.
The Pilots come into the series with a 2-5 record, following a midweek win against CSUN Matadors and a series loss to UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. In the game against CSUN, Portland built an early lead and held off a late comeback attempt by the Matadors. Carter Gaston delivered 5.1 shutout innings with three strikeouts, marking his first outing since 2024 where he allowed no runs over at least five innings. Leo Cote contributed offensively with two hits, including a double and two RBIs. Dakota Chun continued his hitting streak, recording a hit in each of his first four collegiate games and driving in an RBI. Alex Via secured his first save for Portland.
Pitching performances stood out despite offensive struggles during the Gauchos series. Kaden Segel pitched 5.1 scoreless relief innings on Friday with five strikeouts, while Will Labonte started Sunday’s game with 4.1 shutout innings and seven strikeouts—currently the highest single-game total for any Pilot this season. Labonte remains one of only four qualified WCC pitchers who have not allowed an earned run so far this year.
Offensively, Cole Katayama-Stall hit his third home run of the season over the weekend, ranking him third in home runs per game within the conference. Most of Katayama-Stall’s hits have gone for extra bases early in the season.
Last season, Portland finished with an overall record of 22-30 and went 13-11 in WCC play, placing fifth in the conference standings. The team reached at least 20 wins for a fifth consecutive year—a feat last achieved between 2008-2012—and qualified for its fourth straight WCC Tournament appearance before falling to LMU Lions.
Six players received All-WCC honors last year; four return this season. Jonas Salk led with All-WCC First Team selection after hitting 13 home runs—the most by a Pilot since 2008—and posting strong numbers across several offensive categories.
Head coach Geoff Loomis enters his eleventh season leading Portland baseball and holds fourth place all-time in program wins at 235 victories. Trey Watt was promoted to associate head coach and pitching coach after last season, while Jarvis Gomes returns as Director for Player Development for his fifth year.
Niagara comes into this series winless at 0-6 after dropping their recent set against Old Dominion Monarchs. Last year they finished eighth in their conference (MAAC) with a record of 19-28 overall and were picked to finish eighth again according to preseason polls.
Tickets for upcoming Pilots home events can be purchased online via PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or through the Portland Pilots App.
Fans interested in supporting University of Portland Athletics can make contributions online; donations help student-athletes compete both on and off the field.
For more updates on University of Portland athletic programs, visit PortlandPilots.com or follow official team social media channels.
