MORAGA – Eric Oliver had two home runs and eight RBI and Robby Cummingsalso homered twice as part of his five RBI day as No. 23 UCSB throttled St. Mary’s 25-11 at Louis Guisto Field on Sunday. UCSB (12-4) has won three in a row after dropping the series opener to the Gaels (10-7).
The 25 runs are the most the Gauchos have scored in a game since beating Westmont 25-3 on April 15, 2008. Sunday’s offensive outburst gives UCSB a total of 45 runs scored in the four-game series, a weekend after sweeping Loyola Marymount in four games and compiling 44 hits in that series.
Junior right-hander Mike Ford had a rough start, giving up seven runs in 2.2 innings.Clayton Edwards (1-2) earned his first win of the year by throwing 3.1 innings of relief. He gave up four runs, all unearned. St. Mary’s starter Taylor Reid (1-3) took the loss for the Gaels.
Eight different Gauchos had two or more hits on the day. Cummings led the way with four hits, including his two home runs. In UCSB’s five games this week he homered five times and tallied 12 RBI.
Cummings now leads the team in several offensive categories. His six home runs, 29 RBI, and 44 total bases are all team-highs. He is also tied for the lead with five doubles, and is second in batting average at .356. He is off to a blistering start, averaging almost two RBI per game.
Senior first baseman Eric Oliver also homered twice, his second and third of the season. He scored three times and drove in a game-high eight runs. He fell two short of the UCSB single game RBI record of 10, set by Danny Lane on March 24, 1991. Oliver becomes the first player in UCSB history to record eight RBI in a game.
The UCSB lineup produced from top to bottom. Gunnar Terhuneand Ryan Tregoning combined to go 4-for-7 with five RBI in the nine spot. Tregoning hit a grand slam for the Gauchos, one of four UCSB players to hit home runs.
Leadoff hitter Brian Gump, who also homered stole a base and scored five times. He leads the team in both categories with 24 runs and 10 steals in 12 attempts.
Shortstop Ryan Cavan’s average has hovered around .500 all season. He finished the day 2-for-3 with four walks, two RBI, and four runs scored. He leads the team with a .490 batting average and .571 on base percentage.
Sophomore Mark Haddow went 2-for-3 with an RBI and one run scored. He recorded his team-high third triple of the year.
After losing to UCLA and St. Mary’s earlier in the week, the Gauchos finished strong with three wins in two days. The Gauchos will return home on Mar. 22 to face UC Riverside in a brief two-game series.
