UCSB not strong on last day at Stanford

STANFORD – UCSB (9-20) was unable to overcome Santa Clara (6-13) and No. 9 Stanford (22-4) during its final two games of the Stanford Invitational on Saturday at Smith Family Field. The Gauchos fell 6-2 to the Broncos before being shutout by the host Cardinal, 7-0, in their tournament closer.
 
After three scoreless innings, the Broncos were able to break through at the top of the fourth inning in the first game of the day. Amanda Edmonson led off with a walk before Kristin Welsh hit a triple to right center field, driving home the first run of the game. During the next play, a Gaucho fielding error allowed Emily Batt to reach first and Welsh to cross home plate, putting the Broncos up, 2-0.
 
With two outs and two runners on-base at the bottom of the same inning, Keilani Jennings hit a two-RBI double to drive Katie McWhirter and Jessica Beristianos home for what would wind up being the Gauchos’ only runs of the day.
 
Tied at 2-2, Santa Clara regained the lead at the top of the fifth inning. Briana Knight led-off with a single to center field and one out later, Catherine Surane reached base on balls. During the next play, Edmonson fouled out, but Knight stole home on the play, putting the Broncos ahead by a run. A single from Welsh during the ensuing at-bat sent Surane home and pushed the score to 4-2.
 
In the sixth, Santa Clara added two more runs – one earned and one unearned – when Christina Prochnow drove home Jackie Nicora and Nicole Picard with a single to left field, bringing the count to 6-2.
 
Jennings led the Gauchos at the plate going 2-for-3 with her two-RBI double. Ziegler also went 2-for-3 with a stolen base.
 
In the circle, Krista Cobb (2-7) took the loss after tossing 5.2 innings. She allowed six runs – five earned – on six hits. She walked three and struck out five. MeLinda Matsumoto pitched 1.1 innings of relief and retired the four batters she faced in order.
 
Against No. 9 Stanford, UCSB was limited to just four hits in a combined shutout by Teagan Gerhart and Caitlin Breen.
 
The Cardinal jumped on the scoreboard at the bottom of the first when Alissa Haber came home on double hit up the middle by Jenna Rich. Stanford added a run in the second when Sarah Hassman hit a two-out single up the middle, driving Autumn Albers home for an unearned run. The Cardinal continued to build upon their lead in the third, scoring another run on a sacrifice fly to right field by Rosey Neill.
 
Gerhart scored on a balk in the fourth and an RBI single by Shannon Koplitz sent Haber home to push Stanford ahead, 5-0. The Cardinal finished off their scoring with a two-RBI single to left center by Hansen in the fifth to bring the final count to 7-0.
Brooke Putich, McWhirter,  Lainey DePompa and Jamie Adishian accounted for the Gauchos’ four hits in the game. Correa (3-7) took the loss after tossing the first three innings and allowing three runs – two earned – on four hits. She walked three and struck out one. Matsumoto closed the game and allowed four earned runs on five hits while walking three.
 
The Gauchos will be back in action on Tuesday, March 30 when they host a non-conference doubleheader against Fresno State at Campus Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for noon