The UCSB softball team (26-22, 9-9) displayed its most prolific scoring of the season on its way to a 12-0 mercy rule victory over UC Davis (21-30, 5-13) on Sunday afternoon at Campus Diamond, completing its three-game sweep of the Aggies.
Freshman pitcher Krista Cobb allowed just one hit in her five innings of work and tallied her 18th win of the season, which ties the UCSB single season pitcher victories record set by Sandy Ortgies (1987) and Jennifer Davis (2006). She walked one and struck out six batters in the shutout – her ninth of the season. She now holds an 18-8 season record.
At the bottom of the first inning, the Gauchos did all of their damage. Christine Ramos led off with the first of her three singles during the game and then stole second. One out later, Tiffany Wright hit a double to left field sending Ramos home for the first run of the game.
During the next at-bat, Jessica Beristianos hit a ground ball to the Aggie shortstop, Kelly Harman, who committed a fielding error on the play, putting two Gauchos on base with one out. Amanda Ziegler then hit a fielder’s choice to the third baseman. The Aggies’ third baseman, Jessica Gonzalez, and catcher, Heather Zimmerman, failed to pick-off Wright at third during the play, leaving the bases loaded with just one out.
A pair of RBI singles from Katie McWhirter and Kelsey Anderson followed and the Gauchos spread their lead to 3-0. During Jackie Conlin’s ensuing at-bat, Aggie pitcher Jessica Hancock threw a wild pitch, allowing Amanda Ziegler to score. Then, Conlin hit a RBI single to left field stretching the Gaucho advantage to 5-0.
The onslaught continued when Brooke Putich grounded out to the pitcher sending Anderson home for the sixth Gaucho run. UCSB returned to the top of the order and Ramos hit an RBI single before Jessica Ziegler tallied a single of her own, hit to left field. Wright then walked, once again loading the bases. Beristianos followed with a two-RBI double to left field, driving Ramos and Ziegler home.
Trailing 9-0, the Aggies finally pulled Hancock from the circle and replaced her with Alex Holmes. Unfortunately for Holmes, the Gauchos weren’t done. Amanda Ziegler was up next and the freshman belted one over the left field fence, driving in three more runs to stretch the Gaucho lead to 12-0. Holmes retired the next batter on a fly out to finally end the marathon inning.
UC Davis managed just one hit, a two-out double by Hancock at the top of the second, as they fell 12-0.
At the plate, Ramos went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Beristianos went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI and Amanda Ziegler went 2-for-3 with three RBI, a home run and an additional run scored.
The win marked the Gauchos largest margin of victory this season and the most runs they have scored in a game in 2009. The series sweep is also their first Big West sweep of the season. UCSB has won four of its six conference series.
Hancock (13-12) took the loss after tossing 0.2 innings and allowing 11 runs – just four earned – on eight hits. She walked one batter. Holmes pitched 3.1 innings in relief, allowing just one unearned run on three hits with one strikeout.
The Gauchos will conclude the regular season next week when they host Cal State Fullerton for a three-game Big West series. The set will begin with a noon doubleheader on Friday, May 8 and conclude with a noon game on Saturday.
