Mario Hollands pitched a complete game and tied the UC Santa Barbara single-game record for strikeouts with 16 as the Gauchos defeated Northern Illinois University 8-1 on Friday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
Hollands (2-0) started the game in style by striking out the side. The Huskies did not fare much better the rest of the game as Hollands allowed only five hits and two walks over nine innings. The lone run scored by the Huskies came on a solo home run by Jordin Hood in the ninth inning.
The most batters Hollands had ever fanned in a game was 10 against Loyola Marymount on March 6 of last year. His 16 strikeouts tied the record held by Barry Zito.
The Gauchos offense put up more than enough support behind Hollands’ masterpiece. The bulk of their scoring came in a six-run fifth inning that chased NIU starter Zach Oates (0-2).
Sean Williams led off the fifth inning with a walk and scored on a single by Beck Wheeler through the right side of the infield. Mullins and Shane Arslan also had RBI singles in the inning.
Gunnar Terhune hit a two-run single but ended the inning trying to advance to second on the throw home.
Catcher Marty Mullins reached base safely all five trips to the plate, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and scoring twice.
Junior first baseman Trevor Whyte also recorded three hits and two runs scored. Gunnar Terhune and Beck Wheeler led the team with two RBI each.
Wheeler is off to a great start to the season. He is 9-for-17 on the year and leading the team with his .529 average.
Mullins, who was recently named to the collegebaseball360.com Team of the Week, is batting .407 and second on the team in RBI and runs scored. He still leads the team with three home runs, including a grand slam last weekend against Stanford.
Mullins was recently named to the collegebaseball360.com Team of the Week.
Hollands now leads the Gauchos’ pitching staff in several categories. He sports a 2.05 ERA in 22 innings with 23 strikeouts. He has only allowed four extra base hits.
The win puts UCSB (5-4) above .500 after suffering two one-run losses to Stanford the previous weekend. NIU drops to 3-9 on the season.
The series will continue with a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon and one game on Sunday at 11 A.M.
