SANTA CLARA – After Brown downed UCSB 11-1 in five innings, the Gauchos returned the favor with a 10-2 mercy-rule win in the second game of the twin bill to close out the Santa Clara Round Robin.
Lena Mayer (3-3) finished the weekend with a perfect 2-0 record after tossing a complete game in UCSB’s game-two victory. She allowed just one earned run in the outing, while giving up only six hits (all singles).
Palomares’ double in game one added to her league-leading total of 11 on the season, while Wisdom’s three RBI leave her just one shy of tying Keilani Jennings (’13) for fourth-most in Gaucho history (118). The senior is also 13 away from tying program record holder Kendra Wood (’00).
In the first game, Brown went off to a hot start with five runs scored in the fifth inning. Alex Pingree started the game, but was unable to get an out before the Bears tallied four runs. Ashley Ludlow came in and struck out the first batter she faced. An error brought in another run for Brown, but Ludlow limited the damage in getting another punch out and forcing a groundout.
UCSB’s lone run came in the bottom of the second. Wisdom led off the inning with a double belted to right center and later advanced to third on a wild pitch. Samantha Stark brought her home after hitting a groundball to the shortstop. The Gauchos were shutout for the rest of the game, as they left seven runners stranded through the five innings.
A trio of home runs highlighted UCSB’s 10-2 revenge win over Brown, as the Gauchos earned their first mercy-rule win of the season.
Mayer earned her second win of the weekend in dousing Brown’s hot offense to just two runs, while UCSB had one its most prolific hitting efforts this year.
After leaving seven runners stranded in the first game, the Gaucho offense were apt in clearing the bases in the second game, as MeShalon Moore, Arianna Palomares, and Shelby Wisdom each hit a home run. Altogether, UCSB had 12 hits and 10 RBI in the game, as Jessica Johnston paced the team with three hits, while Palomares and Wisdom each had three RBI.
