UCSB third baseman Peter Maris tags out BYU baserunner Colton Shaver. (Presidio Sports photos)
It didn’t take long for freshman JJ Muno to make an impact for the UCSB baseball team.
Muno drove in the Gauchos’ first run of the season with a single and had two RBIs on the day, helping 16th-ranked UCSB defeat BYU 8-1 on Opening Day at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
UCSB scored two runs in the first inning and added two more in the second. That was enough for starter Justin Jacome. He allowed one run, with two walks and two strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings of work. UCSB’s wins leader a year ago (8-2) received the decision, giving him 14 victories in his career.
Jacome scattered 10 hits and kept the Cougars off the scoreboard with some big pitches and help from his defense.
In the top of the first inning, what could have been a lead-off double for BYU’s Brennon Lund turned into an out when he stumbled halfway to second base and was gunned out by outfielder Andrew Calica.
Jacome gave up a leadoff double in the second but didn’t allow the runner to advance, coaxing a meek groundout and a flyball to left before freezing Eric Urry with a frontdoor slider to end the frame.
In the next two innings, the all-freshman middle infield of Muno and shortstop Clay Fisher turned inning-ending 4-6-3 double plays.
Justin Jacome pitched 6.2 innings to earn the 14th win of his UCSB career.
Junior right-handed relievers Connor Baits and Dylan Hecht combined to throw 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to complete the win. Hecht pitched the ninth inning and didn’t surrender a hit.
Seven of the Gauchos’ nine starters recorded a hit in the contest. Junior first baseman Dalton Kelly had a big day with a team-high three hits in five at-bats, including a double and a RBI. Left fielder Cameron Newell, DH Robby Nesovic each had two RBIS.
Muno drove in the first run of the season with two on and one out in the bottom of the first, going the opposite way through the left side for an RBI single that plated Newell. Third baseman Peter Maris then roped a ball that went for an error off BYU second baseman Tanner Chauncey’s glove to get another run across.
Calica started off the next inning by lacing a line drive into the right-center gap for a standup triple. Newell cashed in Calica with a double over the center fielder’s head, and came around to score himself when Kelly ripped a single through the right side.
The Gauchos knocked BYU starter Kolton Mahoney out of the game with no outs in the sixth. They went on to score four insurance runs off the Cougars bullpen. Nesovic did the most damage, smashing RBI singles in the sixth and eighth innings
Paul Uyesaka, a dedicated UCSB booster and the son of the late Caesar Uyesaka, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Friday’s contest.
The Gauchos and Cougars will resume their four-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday. The first game is set to begin at 11 a.m.
Due to an ankle tweak to scheduled starter Domenic Mazza, preseason-All American righty Dillon Tate will start the first half of the twin bill. Sophomore righty Shane Bieber will start the nightcap.
