HONOLULU, Hawaii – In the second game of a four-game set, the Gauchos were stymied by Hawai’i starter Corey MacDonald to the tune of four hits and two runs, eventually falling to the Rainbows by a score of 6-2 on Friday night to even the series at one game apiece.
UCSB fell to 13-11, 1-1 with the loss, while Hawai’i improved to 6-17 overall and 1-1 in the Big West after earning their first conference win.
Macdonald dazzled for the Rainbows, allowing no runs and just two hits after a two-run second inning by the Gauchos in a complete game victory. The righty improved his personal record to 3-2 after his second complete game of the season.
In that two-run second, a no-out Cameron Newell single was sandwiched by walks to Tyler Kuresa and Parker Miles. Peter Maris would then hit into an RBI groundout before Dalton Kelly singled through the left side to put the Gauchos up 2-0.
However, those were the only runs the Gauchos would be able to muster throughout the rest of the game, as singles from Tyler Kuresa in the fifth and Kelly in the sixth represented the only offensive output from the Gauchos the rest of the way out. For Kelly, it was his second multi-hit game as many days.
On the mound, UCSB starter Justin Jacome (2-2) suffered the loss despite allowing only four hits over 6 1/3 innings pitched. He was especially effective early in the game, allowing just one hit and no runs over the first five innings. The freshman lefty ran into a wall in the sixth however, allowing a bases-loaded single to Kaeo Aliviado that knotted the score at 2-2.
He would come out to pitch the seventh inning as well, but made way for Hector Lujan after allowing a leadoff double to Connor George of Hawai’i. Jerry Kleman then plated George with an RBI single to put the Rainbows up for good. Hawai’i would go on to add three more runs in the frame before the Gauchos could retire the side.
MacDonald shut down UCSB from there to give his squad their fifth win in their last seven games.
The Gauchos will turn to freshman righty Kenny Chapman tomorrow night to get back in the win column. He will be opposing reigning Big West Pitcher of the Week Matt Cooper, with first pitch slated for 9:35 p.m.
