DAVIS, Calif. – Matt Vedo pitched eight innings of one-hit ball on Saturday, combining with
Brett Fick for a one-hit shutout as visiting UC Santa Barbara blanked UC Davis for the second
game in a row, 1-0.
The Gauchos improve to 23-24 overall, 8-12 in the Big West. The Aggies drop to 16-33 and
8-12.
Vedo carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. The first Aggie batter of the seventh, Brett
Morgan, hit a shot up the middle that seemed destined to become the first hit of the game.
Gaucho second baseman Sean Williams ranged deep into the hole, made a backhanded play
on the ball and narrowly got Morgan at first base. After Scott Heylman flied out to right field,
David Popkins was hit by a pitch and designated hitter Scott Lyman singled cleanly to left
field. The inning ended with Eric Johnson flying out to right field.
With one out in the eighth inning, Vedo hit Daniel Cepin with a pitch but pinch hitter C.J. Blom
lined out to Williams at second base. Williams quickly threw to Trevor Whyte at first for the
double play, ending the inning.
Vedo came out for the ninth inning, but after he hit Justin Andrade with a pitch, he was pulled
in favor of Brett Fick. Fick got Morgan to hit a lazy fly ball to right field and then, with the
runner going, Heylman grounded out to Williams. With Morgan at second base, the Aggies’
top hitter, Popkins, was walked intentionally and Lyman popped out to center field to end the
game.
The shutout was the second in a row for UCSB. On Friday, Greg Davis pitched a complete
game four-hitter and won 11-0. On Saturday, Gaucho pitchers didn’t have the same
breathing room.
Santa Barbara scored its only run of the contest in the second inning. Joe Wallace began the
inning with a bunt single. The speedy left fielder stole second, where he remained two outs
later. Catcher Bryce Tafelski, however, brought Wallace home when the stroked a 1-1 pitch
from UC Davis ace Anthony Kupbens into left field.
The only other credible threat of the game came in the fifth inning. With two outs, shortstop
Steven Moon was safe on an error by Aggie second baseman Ryan Allgrove. Designated hitter
Derek Eligio and center fielder Ben Edelstein followed with back-to-back singles, but Moon
was thrown out at the plate by the left fielder Popkins.
UCSB finished with seven hits in the game, including two apiece by Tafelski and Williams. All
eight hits in the game were singles. Earlier in the season, Vedo (5-6) had a no hitter with two
outs in the ninth inning before allowing a base hit. UC Davis’ Kupbens (5-6) went the
distance on Saturday. For Fick, it was his second save of the season.
The Gauchos and Aggies complete the three game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at
Dobbins Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on AM 1290 KZSB, the Santa Barbara
News-Press Radio Station and online at <a
href=”http://ucsbgauchos.cstv.com/ot/broadcasts.html”>UCSBgauchos.com</a>.
The Gauchos will return home to host Loyola Marymount on Tuesday, May 24 at 3:00 p.m. at
Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. To purchase tickets, please call (805) 893-UCSB, visit the Ticket
Office located inside the Intercollegiate Athletics building on campus or buy online and print
at home by clicking <a
href=”http://ucsbgauchos.cstv.com/tickets/ucsbtickets.html“>here</a>.
UC Santa Barbara 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 0
UC Davis 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Vedo, Frick (9th) and Tafelski; Kupbens and Dreyfuss. Win – Vedo, M (5-6). Loss – Kupbens (5-7). Save – Fick, B (2).
E – Allgrove(4). DP – Gauchos 2; Aggies 1. LOB – Gauchos 6; Aggies 5. HBP – Andrade; Popkins; Cepin. SB – Wallace, J(14); Tafelski, B(3). CS – Haddow, M(6).
