SAN LUIS OBISPO – A seven-run seventh inning allowed the UCSB baseball team to capture its second consecutive come-from-behind win, defeating Cal Poly 10-3 on Sunday afternoon at Baggett Stadium in the Gauchos’ Big West Conference opening series.
Jesse Meaux pitched his first career complete game, allowing three runs on eight hits with no walks and three strikeouts, as his offense finally came around to support his effort.
Gunnar Terhune’s tie-breaking two-run double with one out in the seventh was the linchpin for the Gauchos to win the weekend series and also gain significant points in the Blue-Green Rivalry Series between the two schools.
UCSB improves to 14-12 overall and 2-1 in the Big West, and is one of just three teams in the Big West with a winning conference record. Cal Poly lost for the 15th time in its past 18 games and is 9-21, 2-4.
After Marty Mullins’ groundout and Ryan Tregoning’s base hit each scored a run, tying the game at 3-3, Terhune’s double gave the Gauchos all they needed. But they weren’t done there.
Trevor Whyte singled in another run and Mark Haddow had a bases-loaded single to score two more as UCSB enjoyed its biggest scoring inning of the season.
UCSB added two more in the eighth as Sean Williams’ sacrifice bunt scored a run before Matt Valaika’s single scored Terhune. Valaika went 2-for-4 in the game with a run and an RBI and during the Gauchos’ four games this past week was 8-for-19 (.421) with five RBI.
Meaux, meanwhile, gave the Gauchos another strong outing from a starting pitcher as he joined Mario Hollands and Nick Capito to throw complete games this season. Meaux (5-1) made sure that in four of the Gauchos’ seven series this year a starting pitcher has tossed a complete game.
The junior from Glendale surpassed his previous best of seven innings pitched – which he’s done four times this season – and lowered his ERA to 4.38.
Haddow finished the game with a team-high three hits as he and Terhune each had two RBI. In the Gauchos’ four games this past week Haddow scored five runs and Terhune went 7-for-18 (.389) with five runs and four RBI.
In the inaugural Blue-Green Rivalry Series, the Gauchos hold a 9-7 advantage. Click here for more info.
UCSB will open a four-game homestand on Tuesday when it faces Pepperdine at 2 p.m. before hosting Cal State Fullerton for a three-game series beginning next Friday at 2 p.m. The Saturday and Sunday games – each scheduled for 1 p.m. – will air live on AM 1490 and be streaming online at UCSBgauchos.com.
