MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Matt Valaika went 3-for-5 with a double and drove in three runs to support the strong pitching of Joe Gardner and UC Santa Barbara defeated Hawai’i, 10-4, on Friday in the second game of the Dairy Queen Classic in the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
Gardner (1-0) allowed three runs, three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in 7.2 innings for the Gauchos (4-2). This came on the heels of his first start at UCSB when he struck out 13 batters in seven innings last weekend vs. St. Louis.
With one out in the first, Ryan Cavan singled and took third on Eric Oliver’s double. After an out, Valaika’s single to center scored both runners to give UCSB a 2-0 lead.
The Gauchos continued their assault in the second. Mark Haddow, who homered on Friday, singled with one out, stole second and scored on Brian Gump’s triple. Gump scored on Cavan’s sacrifice fly to center to make it 4-0.
With two out in the third John DeAlba, on first after getting hit with a pitch, then scored on Robby Cummings’ double to make it 5-0.
The Gauchos added two more in the fifth on a Marty Mullins sacrifice fly and RBI single by Haddow, making it 7-1.
The Gauchos added an unearned run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Gump that made it 8-2.
The Rainbows added two in the eighth on an RBI double by Wong and RBI single by pinch hitter Josh Chevalier to pull to 8-4.
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UCSB got two more in the eighth on an RBI double by Valaika and an error to increase its lead to 10-4.
Following the Dairy Queen Classic this weekend, the Gauchos return home to host Loyola Marymount in a four-game series. Season tickets are available by clicking here. With every ticket purchased, fans receive a free hat.
