Matt Valaika continued his hot hitting and Eric Oliver recorded an extra-base hit and RBI for the fifth straight game as the UCSB baseball team defeated Pacific 9-6 on Saturday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
The Gauchos, winners of three straight, improve to 17-8 overall, 3-2 in the Big West while Pacific falls to 10-14, 3-2.
Valaika, who is hitting .375 during his modest four-game hitting streak, went 2-for-4 with three RBI on Saturday, delivering a big blow with a two-run double in the seventh after Pacific had cut the score to 6-4. Valaika has driven in seven runs in four games this week and is tied for third on the team with 21 RBI.
Box Score
Oliver homered for the second straight game, a towering shot to left-center in the second inning. It was his fifth homer of the season and followed Brian Gump’s sacrifice fly to give UCSB a 2-0 lead. Oliver has knocked in 19 runs over his past 10 games and has 11 RBI during his five-game streak. He is second on the team with 28 RBI while his five homers are tied with Gump for second on the squad.
A four-run sixth inning snapped a 2-2 tie and made a winner out of Mario Hollands (3-2) who allowed five runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings. He struck out four and walked two. Zach Samuels pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing a run on two hits to earn his second save.
Valaika’s single drove in Gump with the first run of the sixth inning and Ryan Tregoning followed moments later with a two-run double to right-center. Marty Mullins’ bloop single to center, which fell between Pacific’s shortstop, centerfielder and second baseman, plated the Gauchos’ fourth run of the frame.
Mullins finished 2-for-4 as seven Gaucho starters recorded at least one hit. Six different UCSB players also recorded an RBI as Santa Barbara scored nine runs for the second straight game and hit the mark for the third time in a row.
