SAN LUIS OBISPO– UCSB guaranteed its first Big West Conference series win with a pair of blowout victories at Cal Poly on Saturday evening. The Gauchos posted a 10-2 win in game one before picking up a 12-2 mercy rule victory in game two.
UCSB will conclude this weekend’s three-game series on Sunday with a noon pairing against the Mustangs at Bob Janssen Field.
In game one, UCSB (17-18, 3-2) benefited from three consecutive errors by the Mustangs and loaded the bases with no outs at the top of the first before Jessica Beristianos drew a walk to put the Gauchos on the board. A single hit up the middle of the field by Kendall Gill stretched the UCSB lead to 2-0.
After pitcher Krista Cobb took down the first three Cal Poly batters in order, the Gauchos went back to work. Brooke Putich and Kathryn Pilpil opened the second inning with consecutive doubles and McKenzie Kane loaded the bases with a fielder’s choice. Allison Taylor drove Putich home with a ground out to second base and a double to left field by Keilani Jennings put two more runs on the board.
In the fifth inning, Jennings led off with her second double of the game and was able to push the UCSB lead to 6-0 when she scored on a Mustang error.
After suffering through five shutout innings, the Mustangs (6-25, 2-3) finally scored when Anna Cahn came home on an illegal pitch. The Gauchos followed with their biggest inning of the game in the seventh. Cal Poly pitcher, Cahn, hit Jennings with a pitch before walking Beristianos and Gill to load the bases with one out. Lainey DePompa was able to send a base hit down the left field line sending a pair of runners home. A single by Kane one out later to left center field drove in two more runs to give UCSB the 10-1 lead.
Cal Poly’s Stephanie Correia hit a two-out single at the bottom of the seventh driving in one more run for the Mustangs to bring the final score to 10-2.
Cobb (7-9) tossed the complete game for the Gauchos and allowed just two runs (one earned) on four hits. She walked five a struck out two. Rebecca Patton (4-13) suffered the loss after pitching the first three innings. She gave up five runs (three earned) on four hits while walking one and striking out three. Cahn closed the game and allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits. She walked four and struck out one.
Jennings led the Gauchos going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI. Kane went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
The Gauchos kept the ball rolling in game two and at the top of the second with the bases loaded and one out, Putich hit a triple to left center field to put UCSB on the scoreboard, 3-0.
In the third, Taylor led off with a single through the left side before Jennings hit her third double of the day to right field. Lauren Boser walked to load the bases before Beristianos drew a walk sending Taylor home. One out later, DePompa drove Jennings home with a single up the middle, pushing the UCSB advantage to 5-0.
UCSB’s offense exploded in the fourth inning as they piled on seven more runs off of five hits to take a commanding 12-0 lead.
Mariah Cochiolo drove in two runs with a one-out single to the left side at the bottom of the fourth to prevent the shutout, but pitcher Andriana Collins retired the next five batters in order to seal the 12-2 run rule win for the Gauchos.
Collins (10-9) tossed all five innings in the win and allowed two earned runs on three hits. She walked three and struck out one. For the Mustangs, Trista Thomas (1-4) suffered the loss after allowed 12 runs (six earned) on eight hits. She walked seven and struck out three. Cahn finished the game and allowed just one hit in 1.2 innings of work.
Jennings was once again phenomenal at the plate going 2-for-3 with three runs. Putich, meanwhile, went 2-for-3 with four RBI.
Game 1: SB 10 Cal Poly 2
UC Santa Barbara…. 230 010 4 – 10 9 1
Cal Poly………… 000 001 1 – 2 4 4
Cobb; Patton, Cahn(4), W-Cobb (7-9) L-Patton (4-13)
2B – Pilpil(7); Jennings 2(9); Putich, B.(1). HBP – Jennings; Cahn; Correia. SH – Boser(2).
SB – Westlund(5). CS – Kane(2).
Game 2: SB 12 Cal Poly 2
UC Santa Barbara…. 032 70 – 12 9 0
Cal Poly………… 000 20 – 2 3 2
Collins; Thomas, Cahn(4); W- Collins (10-9), L-Thomas (1-4)
2B -Jennings; Lund. 3B – Putich, B.. HBP – Gill; Lund. SH – Boser.
