Santa Barbara High alum Mason Radeke struck out 13 Gauchos on Friday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. (Vince Agapito Photos)
Cal Poly’s Mason Radeke and Jeff Johnson combined to strike out 17 UCSB batters on Friday to lead the Mustangs to a 6-4 win in the opener of a Big West baseball series at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
It was UCSB’s sixth loss in its past eight games, as the Gauchos fall to 12-12 overall and 0-1 in the Big West. Cal Poly improves to 11-14, 3-1.
Radeke, a former Santa Barbara HIgh star, struck out 13, one shy of his career-high. Johnson struck out four in his two innings of work, including all three in the ninth to record his fourth save.
Radeke outdueled Jesse Meaux (2-3), who allowed four earned runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings. However, his biggest downfall was three wild pitches and three hit batters. The senior from Glendale has not gotten past the sixth inning in each of his last three starts.
After Cal Poly scored single runs in each of the first three innings, UCSB rallied in the fourth inning with three runs to tie it. Mark Haddow’s single scored Brandon Trinkwon before Sean Williams and Haddow each scored on groundouts.
Unfortunately, Meaux couldn’t hold the Mustangs in check. A run-scoring double and a sacrifice fly gave Cal Poly a 6-3 lead in the top of the fifth. UCSB got one back in the fifth on Haddow’s RBI single, but that was as close as the Gauchos got as they had just three hits the rest of the way.
Santa Barbara outhit Cal Poly 9-8 as Williams, Haddow, Ryan Palermo and Joe Wallace had two hits apiece.
UCSB and Cal Poly continues its Blue-Green Rivalry on Saturday and Sunday with games at 1 p.m.
Cal Poly 6 UCSB 4
Cal Poly… 111 021 000 –6 8 1
UCSB… 000 310 000 –4 9 2
Radeke, Johnson (8); Meaux, Brady (5), Edgington (5),Uhrig (6), Whalen (9). W-Radeke (4-1) L-Meaux (2-3)
