The UCSB baseball team scored 10 runs and racked up 18 hits on Sunday vs. Sacramento State, but it might have been a pitching performance that is most remembered in the 10-9 victory.
With the tying run on second base after Sacramento State struck for three runs in the eighth inning, Nick Loredo came into the game. The Gauchos’ Tuesday starter struck out leadoff batter Eli Davis on four pitches to end the threat.
Then, in the ninth, Loredo threw 11 pitches and retired the Hornets in order to lock down the game and the series victory for UCSB.
“Loredo came in and did a great job at the end,” UCSB head coach Bob Brontsema said. “We’re pleased we got the series win.”
The Gauchos, 5-4 overall, looked like they would cruise to a Sunday victory after splitting the first two games with the Hornets (4-8), each a one-run affair.
UCSB scored four times in the first inning, knocking Sac State starter Sam Kuykendall (0-2) out of the game. However, the Hornets scored six runs in the third inning – four coming on Justin Lamb’s grand slam – to take a two-run lead.
Santa Barbara, though, scored four times in the fourth and once each in the sixth and seventh, building its lead to 10-6.
Trevor Whyte had a two-run single, Mark Haddow had a run-scoring ground out and James Chamberlin balked in a run in the fourth inning.
In the sixth, Haddow had a two-out single to bring in Ben Edelstein – who scored three runs – and Brandon Trinkwon’s sac fly in the seventh gave UCSB a four-run lead.
However, Sac State came back with three runs in the eighth off freshman Joe Winterburn before Cameron Cuneo struck out the lone batter he faced before giving way to Loredo.
“I’m very pleased that we came out aggressive on the offensive end and put up 18 hits,” Brontsema said, “and we needed every one of them.”
Sean Williams tripled to score Edelstein in the first and Whyte’s groundout brought in Williams. Ryan Palermo singled in a run and Lance Roenicke doubled home Palermo in the first inning.
Gaucho starter Greg Davis went five innings, allowing six runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Connor Whalen and Bryce Uhrig each pitched a perfect inning of relief.
The Gauchos host USC on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
