NORTHRIDGE– Senior left fielder Cameron Newell swatted a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to break a scoreless tie and give No. 11 UC Santa Barbara a 3-2 victory over Cal State Northridge on Saturday afternoon at Matador Field.
UCSB improves to 26-7 on the season and 4-1 in the Big West. Northridge is 20-13, 1-7.
The game was a pitcher’s duel until Newell’s blast. UCSB starter Justin Jacome and his CSUN counterpart Jerry Keel combined to allow a single hit through the first six innings.
Cameron Newell provided UCSB with all its runs in a 3-2 win over Cal State Northridge.
The Gauchos collected their first hit of the game on a seventh inning single from senior right fielder Luke Swenson, but they didn’t break through for a run until their next turn at bat.
Freshman shortstop Clay Fisher opened the eighth by earning a free pass, then moved to third on sophomore center fielder Andrew Calica’s opposite field base hit.
Newell then pounced on an 0-1 inside fastball from Keel and hit it over the right field fence for his third home run of the year to put UCSB up 3-0.
The Matadors pushed two across in the bottom of the ninth to make UCSB sweat.
Jacome ran back out to start the frame but was lifted after walking the leadoff man then giving up an RBI double to Justin Toerner.
Junior closer Robbie Nesovic, who recorded the save in UCSB’s 7-4 Friday win, was then summoned to close out on the Matadors.
Things started off a bit rough for Nesovic, as he surrendered a run-scoring base hit to the first batter he faced, CSUN second baseman Ryan Raslowsky. However, Raslowsky got a little bit greedy and was thrown out trying to take an extra base, with Newell making the clutch throw into second.
Nesovic then buckled down and recorded the final two outs on strikeouts, getting cleanup hitter Nolan Bumstead to swing at a tailing slider about a foot off the plate before getting shortstop Yusuke Akitoshito to fan on a fastball up and in. Nesovic locked down his fifth save in as many outings with his scoreless outing.
Jacome picked up his team-leading sixth win of the year in seven decisions. His final line was two earned runs on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts in eight-plus innings of work. Keel (4-3) took the loss despite allowing just four hits himself, getting tagged for the three runs with three runs and six punchouts in eight full.
The Gauchos will go for the series sweep Sunday with Shane Bieber (5-2, 2.17 ERA) taking the ball.
