SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Friday the 13th proved to be lucky for the UCSB softball team as the Gauchos captured a pair of extra-inning wins over visiting UC Davis (22-27, 7-13) to snap its six-game losing skid and bring its record back to an even .500 at 26-26 overall and 10-10 in Big West play. Friday’s first game extended to nine innings before the Gauchos grabbed the 4-3 win and the nightcap stretched to eight innings before they capped a 3-2 victory.
UCSB will conclude the 2011 season on Saturday with the series closer against UCD at noon at Campus Diamond. A win would grab the Gauchos their ninth winning record in the last 10 seasons.
Junior pitcher Krista Cobb (14-14) led UCSB to both its wins, tossing 17 innings in which she allowed five runs (three earned) on 15 hits. She walked four batters and struck out eight during the doubleheader.
In the first game, UCSB jumped out to an early lead at the bottom of the first inning when Allison Taylor hit an RBI double to left center field to score Kathryn Pilpil. In the next inning, the Gauchos were able to capitalize on a four-error inning by the Aggies to push the score to 3-0.
In the third, a pair of infield choppers hit by Kylie Fan and JJ Wagoner put two runners on for the Aggies before Alex Holmes pushed both into scoring position when she grounded out to second base. A base hit to shallow left field by Megan Guzman drove home the first Aggie run and a sacrifice fly hit to center field by Elizabeth Santana cut the UCSB lead to just one run.
After two scoreless innings, UC Davis struck again in the sixth. Kelly Schulze led off with double hit to the deep corner of left field and her pinch runner, Desiree Chavez, was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jessica Gonzalez. Kelly Harman then provided the game-tying RBI with a single to shallow left field that knotted the score at 3-3.
Both teams each managed to get runners on base over the next three innings, but the score remained deadlocked until the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Lainey DePompa, Jessica Beristianos and Lauren Boser loaded the bases with consecutive singles. Katie McWhirter followed with a high bouncing single hit to first base that drove home DePompa for the game-winner.
UCSB carried its momentum into game two and once again scored at the bottom of the first inning, this time when DePompa hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded, sending Pilpil home from third base.
The lead was pushed to two in the second on a RBI double to center field by Amanda Ziegler, which scored Katie McWhirter from first base.
Santana hit a RBI single to left field at the top of the third to drive Wagoner home and cut the Gaucho lead in half.
Trailing by one with two outs and a runner on first, UC Davis was able to capitalize on a pair of errors by Cobb to tie the game at 2-2.
The Gauchos battled back and were able to load the bases in the fifth on a pair of singles from DePompa and Beristianos, and walk earned by Boser, but the Aggies got out of the jam to preserve the stalemate.
Boser and McWhirter opened the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back singles before they were bunted over by Zielger. A throwing error to first base by pitcher Jessica Thweatt on the next play allowed Brooke Putich to load the bases before Pilpil hit a fielder’s choice to the shortstop. Aggie shortstop, Santana, overthrew the ball in an attempt to get the out at home. The mistake gave Boser time to score the game-winning run and secure the series victory for the Gauchos.
Jessica Beristianos went 3-for-7 on the day while Kathryn Pilpil went 3-for-8 with two runs and two walks to lead the Gauchos at the plate.
Game 1
UC Davis………… 002 001 000 – 3 9 6
UC Santa Barbara…. 120 000 001 – 4 9 2
Homes and Miller;Cobb and DePompa. Win – Cobb (13-14). Loss – Holmes (16-19
2B – Schulze(1); Taylor(12). HBP – Schulze. SH – Gonzalez(11); Beristianos(5); Boser(6); Ziegler, A.(2). SF -Santana(2). SB – Guzman(9); Ziegler, A.(2); Putich, B.(13).
Game 2
UC Davis………… 001 010 00 – 2 6 3
UC Santa Barbara…. 110 000 01 – 3 8 3
Thweat and Miller, Cobb and DePompa.Win – Cobb (14-14). Loss – Thweatt (6-7). 2B – Ziegler, A.(3). HBP – Taylor. SH – Ziegler, A.(2). SB – Pilpil(11).
