FRESNO – A dominating performance from starting pitcher Matt Vedo and an exceptional offensive attack helped UCSB cruise to its fourth straight victory, 7-1 over Fresno State on Tuesday night.
Vedo, making his second start of the season, went seven superb innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts and allowed just two hits. After allowing a leadoff single to open the bottom of the first inning, Vedo retired 12 in a row, including seven strikeouts. The Bulldogs didn’t get another hit off the senior right-hander until there was one out in the seventh inning.
Vedo continued the Gauchos’ starting pitching dominance as Santa Barbara pitchers have allowed just six total runs over the past four games. UCSB improves to 5-3.
UCSB had 14 hits as Brett Vertigan, Lance Roenicke, Brandon Trinkwon and Greg Mahle all had multi-hit games. Mahle went 4-for-5 with three RBI while Vertigan and Roenicke each had three hits. Roenicke and Trinkwon each homered.
The Gauchos wasted no time getting on the board in the opening inning. With the bases loaded and one out, the freshman Mahle singled to left field to bring in a run and Ryan Palermo followed with a single of his own.
In the third inning Mahle doubled in a run and Luke Swenson singled him home to make it 4-0. In the sixth inning, Roenicke blasted a two-run home run, his first of the season, and after a pair of walks Mahle drove in his third run of the game to give UCSB a 6-0 lead.
Trinkwon’s homer in the eighth inning, his second of the season, capped UCSB’s impressive offensive output.
Right-hander Jared Wilson relieved Vedo in the eighth inning and over the next two frames recorded four strikeouts and allowed an unearned run.
The Gauchos open a three-game series vs. Loyola Marymount on Friday at 2 p.m.
