The eight UCSB seniors had one more chance to go out with a victory in their final home game at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
After the Gauchos dropped their “Senior Day” game 10 days prior to Cal State Fullerton, UCSB defeated USC, 6-3 on Tuesday afternoon. The Gauchos improved to 25-27 with the win.
And, it was senior Matt Vedo who helped send off his classmates in style.
Vedo struck out seven batters in 3.2 innings pitched, moving him into fifth all-time in UCSB single-season strikeout history as he has now K’d 104 batters this season. He is one of just six pitchers in UCSB history to strike out more than 100 hitters in a single-season.
Although, Vedo wasn’t the only one penning his name in Gaucho record books. Center fielder Brett Vertigan led off the fourth inning with a triple, giving him eight on the year and tying him for first place in single-season history with Wynter Phoenix (1994), Scott Cerny (1986) and Bill Geivett (1985).
It was Vertigan’s triple that helped break a scoreless tie as he scored on senior Lance Roenicke’s single. Marc Venning and Greg Mahle had RBI groundouts to give UCSB a 3-0 lead.
Austin Pettibone, making his first start since April 28, allowed just two earned runs in 5.1 innings as the Trojans (23-28 overall) loaded the bases against him twice and yet each time Pettibone (7-3) turned them away.
While USC struck for two runs in the sixth, the Gauchos got a run back when Venning hit a triple that right fielder Alex Sherrod lost in the sun and scored on an error. In the eighth UCSB added two insurance runs as Mahle’s double scored Brandon Trinkwon and senior Joey Wallace’s single brought in Mahle.
Vedo struck out pinch-hitter Sean Spray to end the game.
UCSB finishes its season with four games this coming weekend at CSU Bakersfield.
