UC Santa Barbara right-hander Dillon Tate took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and sophomore centerfielder Andrew Calica continued his torrid week with another multi-hit performance, but four late runs from No. 12 Oregon handed the fourteenth-ranked Gauchos a 5-1 loss in Friday’s series opener at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
With the decision, UCSB drops to 7-2 on the year, while Oregon improves to 9-1.
Despite being tagged with his first loss of the year to move to 2-1, it was yet another superlative start for Tate. In 7 1/3 innings on the hill, he struck out eight and allowed just three hits. He did allow three earned runs – the first time he has been scored upon this season – though the final two runs were both scored after he had been removed from the game.
He started the game on a tear, retiring the first 14 batters he faced and allowing just one baserunner – on a two-out walk – through five innings. He was at his best in the middle innings, recording four strikeouts in five batters between the fourth and fifth innings.
The hard-throwing right-hander received some help from his defense as well, highlighted by senior Luke Swenson’s headlong dive into shallow right field on a short pop-up in the first inning. Senior second baseman Woody Woodward and senior third baseman Peter Maris also made nice snags of well-struck line drives in the second and third innings, respectively.
The Gauchos were the first to get on the board in the much anticipated series, pushing a single run across in the bottom of the third. Clay Fisher reached after hitting a ball into the 5-6 hole, forcing Ducks shortstop Mark Karaviotis into an errant throw that reached his team’s dugout, putting his counterpart on second base with nodody out.
Two batters later, Calica tallied an RBI by ripping a single into right field, one of his two base hits on the day.
Oregon would get that run back in the sixth inning thanks to good baserunning and perhaps a couple advantageous bounces. Left-hitting J.B. Bryant opened the frame by slapping a Tate offering into shallow left field – it was just out of reach for Cameron Newell – to break up the no-hitter.
Following a sac bunt, leadoff hitter Matt Eureste chopped a grounder about 80 feet, but it bounced over Tate’s head and was unplayable in time for Fisher. Right fielder Austin Grobeck laid down a safety squeeze on the next play to make it 1-1.
The Ducks did the majority of their damage in the final two innings, scoring a pair of runs in each frame. Reaching the eighth inning for the first time this season, Tate started off the inning well by inducing a leadoff flyout. A Eureste single and Grebeck walk later though and Tate found himself out of the game, making way for freshman lefty Kyle Nelson who walked the only batter he faced before junior righty Connor Baits came in to try and extinguish the rally.
With the bases full and just one out, things looked dire for UCSB but Baits brought the squad back from the brink by striking out Shaun Chase on a slider below the zone. First baseman Brandon Cuddy followed that up by grounding one through the middle, scoring the eventual game-winning runs. Oregon added two more in the ninth, scoring on a wild pitch and another Eureste base hit, his third of the game.
The Ducks received strong contributions from the two pitchers they employed on Friday, starter Cole Irvin and reliever Conor Harber. In a controlled start, Irvin surrendered just three hits and the one run over four innings. Harber was even better, holding the Gauchos to a pair of hits over five dominant innings as he picked up his third win of the young season in as many decisions.
UCSB will send sophomore righty Shane Bieber (2-0, 1.13) to the mound on Saturday looking to get even in the series. He will be opposed by left-hander David Peterson (0-0, 2.38). First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
