A furious comeback by the UCSB baseball team fell short on Friday in the opener of a three-game series as the Gauchos lost to UC Davis, 6-5.
The Gauchos scored twice in the seventh inning on Gunnar Terhune’s double and Derek Eligio’s ground out before adding three more in the eighth.
Ryan Tregoning, Sean Williams and Beck Wheeler ripped back-to-back-to-back doubles before Shane Arslan’s pinch-hit single scored the Gauchos’ third run. However, Brett Fick flied out and Terhune struck out to end the inning.
In the ninth UCSB put the first two runners on after a single and a hit batter. But Mark Haddow grounded into a double play and Tregoning struck out swinging to end any hopes of a comeback.
The Gauchos fall to 21-27 overall and 7-12 in the Big West while UC Davis is now 23-27, 6-13.
All but one of the Aggies’ six runs scored on Friday was unearned as UC Davis took advantage of two passed balls and an error by Trevor Whyte to get to Gaucho starter Mario Hollands (4-5).
Hollands allowed one earned run on 10 hits in seven innings while striking out six.
In the fourth UCD’s Kyle Mihaylo blooped a two-out single to center that scored Scott Lyman, who had advanced to third on a passed ball and then in the sixth Scott Heylman scored on a bases-loaded passed ball.
Sandwiched in between was Paul Politi’s solo home run to center in the fifth, a ball that was surely aided by the strong gusts of wind blowing out to center and right fields.
In the seventh the Aggies’ Politi opened the inning by reaching on Whyte’s fielding error before Hollands got a sacrifice bunt out and struck out Scott Kalush. An infield single and a walk – Hollands’ lone free pass of the day – loaded the bases for David Popkins, who laced a two-run single to center. Lyman’s single to left gave UCD a 6-0 lead.
UCSB will continue its series, the final weekend series at home of the 2010 season, against UC Davis on Saturday and Sunday with both games starting at 1 p.m. The games can be heard live on AM 1490 and streaming live online at UCSBgauchos.com.
Greg Davis is scheduled to start for the Gauchos on Saturday and Jesse Meaux is slated to pitch on Sunday. Tickets are available by calling (805) 893-UCSB or clicking here where you can buy online and print at home!
