After trailing by four runs heading into the eighth inning, UCSB scored seven runs to complete a weekend three-game sweep of Long Beach State at Cal State Fullerton’s Goodwin Field, 11-9.
It was the third time in two days that the Gauchos beat the 49ers in a series that was moved to Fullerton due to the Jesusita Fire in Santa Barbara.
The Gauchos averaged just over nine runs per game in the three-game series. It is the first three-game sweep of Long Beach State since they did so between April 30 and May 2, 2004. It was also UCSB’s first sweep of a weekend series since winning a four-game set vs. Loyola Marymount from March 6-8 earlier this season.
The win improves UCSB to 27-19 overall, 9-9 in the Big West and leaves Long Beach State at 24-23, 10-8.
After the 49ers scored six runs between the fifth and seventh innings to take an 8-4 lead, but it didn’t last long.
In the eighth inning, UCSB batted through the order and then some, scoring seven runs in the process.
Shane Carlson and Mark Haddow each singled in runs to start things off, before Steve Cook knocked both of them in with a two-run double to tie the game 8-8.
Then Ryan Cavan put the Gauchos ahead for good with a two-run double. John DeAlbaadded one more run with a sacrifice fly, giving UCSB a three-run lead going into the ninth.
Cavan went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run. Haddow and DeAlba also had three-hit games for UCSB while Carlson had a pair of hits.
David Meals (3-2), who entered the game in the seventh inning, earned the win. He allowed only one run in over two innings of work, a solo home run to lead off the ninth by shortstop Devin Lohman. He then retired the next three batters to end the game.
When all was said and done, UCSB had scored 11 runs on 15 hits and remained unbeaten this season when scoring nine or more runs.
Zach Samuels pitched four strong innings before running into trouble in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Gaucho offense stayed hot after scoring 14 runs in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. He finished by allowing six earned runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings with two strikeouts.
UCSB got on top early, as they did in all three games of the series. The Gauchos capitalized on Steve Cook reaching on a dropped third strike and Brian Gump walking in the first inning. The Gauchos scored three runs in the inning on Ryan Cavan and Shane Carlson’s RBI singles and Matt Valaika’s sacrifice fly.
Long Beach State scored twice in the second, and UCSB responded with another run in the third.
UCSB will travel to UC Riverside for a three-game series next weekend before returning to Santa Barbara on May 22 to host UC Irvine in the final series of the regular season.
