MALIBU – The UCSB baseball team defeated Pepperdine at Eddy D. Field Stadium on Wednesday for their first win since April 24. The Gauchos used a pair of five-run innings to snap a six-game losing streak.
The teams split the season series one game each, as the Gauchos fell 8-6 on Monday to complete the April 7 game that was postponed due to rain. UCSB is now 24-19 while Pepperdine falls to 25-21.
Clayton Edwards (2-2) earned the win by pitching 2.1 scoreless innings. He struck out three Waves and allowed no hits and only one walk. Scott Alexander (3-5) took the loss for Pepperdine.
The Gauchos scored five runs in the third inning after falling behind 3-0, and scored five runs again in the seventh inning to overcome a 6-5 deficit.
Sophomore Mark Haddow led the way with three hits and two RBI. Despite reaching base three times, he was the only Gaucho starter who did not score a run.
Eric Oliver and Matt Valaika also had multi-hit games, and Valaika led the team with three RBI while Oliver added to his team-leading total by knocking in a pair of runs. The senior first baseman now has 41 RBI this season.
UCSB scored 10 runs after scoring only nine over the three-game weekend series against fifth-ranked Cal State Fullerton and scoring only one run in six innings against Pepperdine in the resumption of Monday’s make-up game.
Sophomore Jesse Meaux started the game for UCSB, allowing three runs, including one unearned run in two innings. Junior right-hander David Meals pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings to preserve the Gauchos’ four run lead.
Edwards had his best outing of the season, relieving Matthew Brady in the fifth inning. Brady, himself, also had his best outing as a Gaucho, pitching 1.2 innings while only allowing two hits.
Trailing 6-5 entering the seventh, the Gauchos sent nine men to the plate. Steve Cook, batting leadoff for the first time this season, singled and moved to second when Brian Gump reached on an error. After an out, Valaika doubled to bring in Cook and Gump. Following a walk by Ryan Cavan, Ryan Tregoning singled to drive in Valaika and an error put runners on second and third. Haddow’s single scored both and the Gauchos were on their way to the win.
The Gauchos will host a three-game series against Long Beach State this weekend. Long Beach St. is currently tied for third place in the Big West, and the Gauchos sit four games behind them in seventh place.
