RIVERSIDE – The UC Santa Barbara softball team captured its first Big West Conference series sweep of the season after posting a 3-1 victory in game three against UC Riverside on Sunday afternoon at the Highlander’s Amy S. Harrison Field.
With the victory, UCSB improves to 21-25 on the season and 6-3 in league games. The Highlanders drop to 18-23 and 1-8 in Big West games.
The Gauchos were once again led by pitcher Shelby Wisdom, who tallied her fifth win of the week to improve to 16-12 on the season. The freshman tossed a complete game and allowed just one earned run on three hits. She struck out seven in the victory.
At the plate, six different Gauchos accounted for the team’s half dozen hits. Senior Lainey DePompa hit a home run and Kathryn Pilpil also went for extra bases after hitting a double.
UCSB got out to an early lead in the first inning. With one out, Brooke Putich drew a walk and Keilani Jennings followed with a single hit down the left field line. Allison Taylor was able to bring Putich home from second base when she sent a base hit down the left field line, putting the Gauchos up, 1-0.
Wisdom retired the first eight batters before the Highlanders got their first base runner of the game in the bottom of the third off of a Gaucho error. The pitcher quickly got out of the inning with a ground out to preserve the UCSB advantage.
In the top of the fourth with one out, DePompa hit a solo home run over the left field fence, stretching the Gauchos’ lead to 2-0.
UC Riverside battled back in the bottom of the same inning. Ariel Shore led off with a base hit to right center field and was bunted over to second base by Brittany Keeney. A double to left center field by Dionne Anderson put two runners in scoring position with just one out. Yessenia Duenas’ bunt single was able to score Shore and cut the UCSB lead to one run.
In the fifth with one out, DeJanee Moore and Jessica Soria hit consecutive singles up the middle of the field. Putich was able to reach on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. After a pitching change, the Gauchos benefited from a wild pitch as Moore scored to push the advantage to 3-1.
Wisdom retired the final nine batters in order to wrap up the win for UCSB.
The Gauchos will return home next weekend to host first-place Pacific in a three-game conference series, which will begin with a noon doubleheader on Saturday, April 21 at Campus Diamond.
