April 19, 2011

April 19, 2011

Complete Release in PDF Format

• The Schedule
Friday, April 22, 2011 - 12 & 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 23, 2011 - 12 p.m. 
UC Santa Barbara (22-19, 6-3) vs. Cal State Northridge (15-26, 3-6)
All-time series record vs. Matadors: 22-47-1
Last series vs. Matadors: 0-3 (April 24-25, 2010)
Last series win vs. Matadors: 2-1 (April 11-15, 2009)

To follow this week's games on Gametracker, click here. 

• This Week In Gaucho Softball
UCSB continues Big West Conference action this week with a three-game series against Cal State Northridge at Campus Diamond. This week's series will kick off with a noon doubleheader on Friday and conclude with a single game at noon on Saturday.

• For The Record
UCSB has posted a 22-19 overall record and a 6-3 mark in Big West play. This marks the Gauchos best start to conference play since 2008 when they went 7-2 in their first three series. Winners of 10 of its last 13 games, UCSB had its season-best nine game win streak snapped on Sunday with an 11-8 loss to UC Riverside.

• Big West Update
The Gauchos are currently tied for second in the league standings with Pacific and Long Beach State. Cal State Fullerton is in first with a 7-2 league mark. With series wins over Cal Poly and UC Riverside, UCSB has won consecutive conference series for the first time since the 2009 season.

• No Hits For You!
Junior Krista Cobb posted her second career no-hitter in Saturday's 3-0 win over UC Riverside. The pitcher tossed the complete game and allowed just two walks while striking out one. Cobb's first no-hitter was in her first collegiate start against Wagner (Feb. 8, 2009) in which she tossed the first perfect game in program history.

• Mercy Me
UCSB posted its fifth mercy-rule win of the season in a five-inning 11-1 victory at Cal State Bakersfield last week. The last time UCSB posted five run-rule wins in a season was in 2007. Additionally, the game marked the Gauchos' sixth this season in which they have scored 10+ runs. This marks the most double-digit run games in program history, surpassing the 1982 team, which had four.

• Two For One
The Gauchos brought their double play count to 23 after tallying a pair in the 3-0 win over the Highlanders on Saturday. That number ties the school record for double plays in a season, which was set by the 2010 squad. UCSB currently ranks third nationally with its average of .56 double plays per game.

• Jennings Doubles Up
While on the subject of UCSB records, junior Keilani Jennings tied the program's single season doubles record after tallying her 15th of the year in game three against UCR. Tiffany Wright set the record during the 2008 season. Jennings is two doubles away from cracking the UCSB top-10 list and tying 10th-ranked Natalie Adame's (2000-03) career output (21). Jennings is tops in the Big West in doubles and is also tied for 18th nationally with an average of .37 doubles per game.

• Acting Defensive
The Gauchos have set themselves apart as one of the best defensive teams in the Big West and nationally. UCSB leads the league and is ranked 56th nationally with its .967 fielding. The Gauchos have committed a league-low 39 errors this season, which is a vast improvement after posting 66 in 2010.

• Offensive Behavior
Not just talented on the defensive end, the Gauchos also rate as one of the top teams in the league offensively. UCSB ranks second in batting (.282), slugging (.389), runs (191), hits (310), RBI (170), total bases (428) and stolen bases (36). The Gauchos also lead the league with 56 doubles, just eight shy of tying the school record, which was set in 2000. In conference games, UCSB has posted a league-best .303 batting average, .421 slugging, 53 runs, 79 hits, 46 RBI and 110 total bases.

• Gauchos Go Yard
UCSB has been hitting the long ball on a frequent basis as of late. Of the Gauchos' 16 home runs this season, eight have been hit in their last six games. Three of those eight were sent out of the park by Keilani Jennings, who has brought her season total to six bombs and her career count to 15, which ranks ninth all-time in the UCSB record book. The Gauchos have already surpassed their 14 home runs hit last season and are two away from tying their 2009 output.

• Shortstop Stories
Speaking of Keilani Jennings, the sophomore has really hit her stride since entering Big West play and leads the team with her .464 batting, 13 hits, 12 runs, six doubles, four home runs, 11 RBI and 31 total bases in league games. Jennings has had at least one hit in the last eight games and has put together a six-game streak with at least one RBI. For the season, she is batting .317 and leads the team in runs (27), doubles (15), home runs (6), RBI (31) and walks (21). Unfortunately, the shortstop injured her knee at the end of the final game of the Riverside series on Sunday and is out indefinitely

• In The Circle With Krista
Another Gaucho that has found her rhythm since conference games began is junior pitcher Krista Cobb. The hurler has posted a 4-1 record in league games and has posted a 2.32 ERA. She is currently amidst a five-game win streak in the circle. For the season, the pitcher holds a 10-9 record and has a 3.97 ERA. She is also moving her way up in the UCSB record books and currently ranks fifth in career wins (36), seventh in shutouts (13), eighth in complete games (40), and 10th in strikeouts (227) and innings pitched (393).

• Popping Pilpils
Second baseman Kathryn Pilpil has the longest active hitting streak among the Gauchos after tallying hits in the last 10 games. The freshman is fifth on the team with her .289 batting average and is second in runs (26), doubles (7), triples (2), RBI (26) and walks (20). She is batting .324 in league play, which is fifth on the team.

• Catching Up With Our Catcher
Junior catcher Lainey DePompa has come on strong in the second half of this season. She has registered a hit in 11 of the last 13 games and is second on the team with her .423 batting average in Big West games. Overall, she is batting a career-best .289 and has doubled her career totals in doubles and RBI, with six and 14, respectively, this year.

• Kane Is Able
Freshman McKenzie Kane leads the Gauchos in batting average (.354) and hits (52), which leads the Big West. The center fielder has posted a team-high 15 multiple-hit games and has had a hit in all but nine games. Kane had multiple hits in each of last weekend's games against UC Riverside. She is currently third on the team with a .371 batting average in Big West games and tied for first with 13 hits in league play.

• Brooke's Bat
Junior Brooke Putich tied her career-high for hits when she went 3-for-4 in game three against UC Riverside. The outfielder is third on the team with her .303 batting average and is tied for the team lead in stolen bases (11). Putich has had 10 multiple-hit games this year and five multiple-RBI games.

• Turning Up The AC
Pitcher Andriana Collins continues to impress in her first season with the Gauchos. The freshman leads the team in innings pitched (138.1) and strikeouts (85). She has posted a 12-10 overall record with a 3.64 ERA. In conference play, she has gone 2-2 and has posted a 3.17 ERA.

• The Galicinao File
Head coach Brie Galicinao, who is now in her fourth season at the helm of the UCSB softball program, has coached the Gauchos to a 93-105 cumulative record for a .470 winning percentage, the second-best since the softball program went Division I in 1982. Galicinao has coached three players to All-Region honors, two players to Big West Field Player of the Year accolades, one Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year and 16 All-Big West Conference selections. In 2008, Galicinao was named the Big West Co-Coach of the Year after her first season leading the Gauchos.

• Gauchos.360
The Gaucho softball team has entered the blogsphere. Several members of the team are contributing regularly to "Gauchos.360" filling in UCSB fans on their student-athlete experience. To check it out visit click here.

• Tweet, Tweet
Head coach Brie Galicinao is on Twitter. To get her insights and updates throughout the season (and the rest of the year), follow her here.

• Get Your Tickets
Tickets for all of the Gauchos' home contests this season are now available. To purchase tickets, please call (805) 893-UCSB, visit the Ticket Office located inside the Intercollegiate Athletics building on campus or click here.