Katie McWhirter slides safely into 2nd base against Wichita State.
UCSB’s softball team made the most of its Saturday, posting three victories at the Gaucho Classic to give UCSB a 4-0 start to the season.
Winning UCSB pitcher Krista Cobb mid-windup against Western Kentucky
The Gauchos completed a delayed 4-3 victory over Wichita State in the early morning before defeating the same Shockers squad 5-1 in the tournament’s next game. UCSB recorded a third win, 1-0, over Western Kentucky.
Junior Krista Cobb recorded two of the victories in the pitcher’s circle, while freshman Andriana Collins picked up her second win of the season in the other decision.
To start the day, Jessica Berestianos put down a key sacrifice in the seventh inning of the game that was continued from Friday. UCSB was playing as the away team and Berestianos was able to move runners over to second and third base with a bunt in the top of the seventh. Keilani Jennings scored McKenzie Kane in the next at-bat for what would stand as the winning run.
The top of UCSB’s lineup did most of the damage in the second game. No. 1 & No. 2 hitters Kane and Kathryn Pilpil each scored two runs in the 5-1 victory while Pilpil and Jennings each knocked in a pair. UCSB’s first four batters scored four of the five runs and knocked in all five.
Kelly McDonald provided the only offense in UCSB’s game with Western Kentucky. The sophomore blasted a second-inning solo home run that stood up in the 1-0 contest. Cobb recorded the six-hit shutout.
The Gaucho Classic concludes with two games on Sunday. The Gauchos will meet Seattle University at 11 a.m. and Wichita State and Western Kentucky face off at 8:30 a.m. on Campus Diamond.
UCSB's Kelly McDonald crushes a solo home run against Western Kentucky that ended up being the only run in the game.
Nice work Gauchos! Good luck today!