RENO – The University of Nevada (9-6) baseball team defeated UC Santa Barbara (7-8) by a score of 11-7 on Sunday at Peccole Park to win the series, 2-1.
With the victory the Wolf Pack improved to 9-6 on the season while the Gauchos dropped to 7-8. It was UCSB’s first series loss on the road this season while the Pack has won every weekend series this year taking two of three games from each opponent.
Nevada jumped to an 8-0 lead after five innings behind the pitching of junior Tom Jameson (2-1). The Pack scored three runs in the second inning on just two hits and was aided by two bases loaded walks. Catcher Carlos Escobar, Jr. doubled home two runs as part of Nevada’s four-run third inning to give the Pack a 7-0 cushion. Escobar’s sacrifice fly in the fifth made the score 8-0.
UCSB scored the next three runs on Ryan Palermo’s RBI double in the sixth and Greg Mahle’s groundout and Bryce Tafelski’s base hit, but a three-run seventh inning by the Wolf Pack was highlighted by Brooks Klein’s third hit of the game that scored two and it was 11-3. The Gauchos scored the final four runs to make the final score 11-7.
Gaucho starter Matt Vedo allowed six earned runs in 2.1 innings pitched while four relievers allowed six runs. Tafelski led all batters by going 4-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
UCSB starter Matthew Vedo fell to 2-2 after giving up six earned runs in 2.1 innings of action.
Klein (3-for-5,R, 2 RBI) led the Pack with three hits and drove in a pair of runs. Escobar (2-for-3,2R,3RBI) collected two hits and finished with a game-high three RBI. Second baseman Joe Kohan (2-for-5,RBI) also had two hits in the game, scored a run and had an RBI.
UCSB returns home on Tuesday for a game vs. Fresno State before hosting a weekend series vs. Rhode Island.
