HONOLULU — Seventh-ranked UCSB lost a 1-0 pitcher’s duel on Saturday night at Hawai’i.
Tyler Brashears and Quintin Torres-Costa combined to blank the Gauchos, holding them to four hits. UCSB’s Justin Jacome also pitched well, throwing eight full innings, giving five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
The only run of the game came in the sixth inning. Hawai’i second baseman Stephen Ventimilia lined a single to right field and stole second. Center Fielder Kaeo Aliviado followed with an RBI single through the right side. The hit snapped a 22-at-bat hitting drought for Aliviado.
UCSB (30-10, 7-4 Big West) had threatened in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with one out. Hawai’i third baseman JJ Kitaoka made a big play to keep the Gauchos off the board. He fielded a ground ball and threw home for a force out. Brashears got the next batter to ground out to shortstop to end the inning.
Brashears blanked the Gauchos through the seventh and two batters in the eighth before allowing just his third hit. Torres-Costa came on and induced a groundout to end the inning.
In the ninth, the ‘Bows (15-25, 6-8 Big West) took the Gauchos’ best shot, with runners aboard via a single and a hit batter, but Torres-Costa fanned one and earned his fourth save as Clay Fisher’s line shot was collected in Aliviado’s glove in center field, closing the book on the 1-0 win.
UCSB is the highest-ranked opponent the ‘Bows have defeated since topping fourth-ranked Cal State Fullerton in 2013.
