LocaL roundup Pepper throwing name into NBA Draft

Enterprise staff

Elijah Pepper is going to test the waters.

Grand slam weekend for Aggie duo

My random thoughts as we are halfway through the Easter weekend.

n Two grand slams in less than 24 hours.

The UC Davis baseball and softball teams had two players club that big hit anyone who plays on the diamond in Big West Conference games in Kern County last weekend.

Jack Gallagher had the first one for the Aggie baseball squad against the CSU Bakersfield squad at Hardt Field on Saturday night.

Gallagher now has seven home runs this season.

Then Libbie McMahan clubbed for the UCD softball team against Bakersfield at the Roadrunner Softball Complex on Sunday afternoon. McMahan noted that was her second grand slam as an Aggie, as she had one in the 2022 season.

Anytime a UCD baseball or softball player hits a grand slam during this season, he/she should be treated to a free dinner at a Davis restaurant of their choice.

I'm serious.

n The Davis High baseball team is certainly right in the middle of the Delta League race.

Entering this week, the Blue Devils are in third place in league at 7-2, and 11-5 overall.

Davis, along with Franklin (8-1 in the Delta, 14-4) and first place Elk Grove (9-0, 13-4) are the only teams in the league with winning records.

The Delta League is sending four teams into the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs next month.

n If you're a baseball fan, plenty of baseball games in the Sacramento region and Northern California.

The Sacramento River Cats are hosting the El Paso Chihuahuas at Sutter Health Park Stadium today at 1:05 p.m.

The River Cats also have home games from April 18-23.

If you're a San Francisco Giants or Oakland A's fan, plenty of home games this month as well.

n On Saturday, the Davis High football team had its annual lift-a-thon inside the school's weight room. Photos of Blue Devils pumping iron and raising money for the program is scheduled to run in Friday's edition.

"We have raised just under $14,000, and our goal is to raise $20,000," said Davis head coach Nick Garratt.

Anyone who still wants to donate can visit the Blue Devils' website — www.davisbluedevilfootball.com/donate.

n If it's April, then it means that Blue Devils football, along with all high school football programs in the SacJoaquin Section, have been spending a lot of time in the weight room

See AGGIE, Page B6

The UC Davis men’s basketball player made an announcement on Wednesday that he is going to enter his name into the 2023 NBA Draft, per his Twitter account.

“I am now looking toward the future and the next step in my career,” Pepper posted. “After discussions with my family and staff at UC—Davis, I have made the decision to enter my name into the 2023 NBA draft, while retaining my eligibility.

“I look forward to obtaining valuable feedback that will assist me in my lifelong goal of playing in the NBA, and I appreciate all of your support along this journey.”

Pepper averaged 22.5 points per game this past season as an Aggie.

UC Davis softball

Kenedi Brown only allowed three runners all game long and faced just one above the minimum, which helped the UC Davis softball team post a 2-0 win UC Riverside in a Big West Conference game at La Rue Field on Friday afternoon. Brown (11-5) went the distance for UC Davis (6-4 in the Big West, 20-12) struck out six and walked two.

She is now three strikeouts away from breaking the program’s Division I career strikeout record.

At the plate, the Aggies were paced by senior Sommer Kisling, who went 2-for-2 on the day. The Aggies had four hits in the game.

The two teams will close out the series Saturday with a doubleheader. The first game will begin at 11 a.m.

Aggie women’s water polo

The UC Davis women’s water polo team was unable to hold off No. 18 UC San Diego, which posted a 10-9 win on Friday afternoon at Schaal Aquatics

Pool.