The Schedule
UC Riverside
Friday, May 21 at 6:00 PM at Riverside Sports Complex in Riverside, Calif.
Saturday, May 22 at 12:00 PM at Riverside Sports Complex in Riverside, Calif.
Saturday, May 22 (Game Two) at Riverside Sports Complex in Riverside, Calif.
Sunday, May 22 at 1:00 PM at Riverside Sports Complex in Riverside, Calif.
The Series
The Gauchos head south for its final road series of the regular season this weekend as they will play visitor to UC Riverside in a four-game series at Riverside Sports Complex. The Highlanders come into the weekend with a 14-29 overall record and a 12-24 conference mark having just been swept by UC Irvine last weekend.
Gauchos on the Air
All four games will be aired live on Big West TV with additional audio-only coverage from Kevin Cannon and Spencer Stewart. Live stats will be available on UCSBGauchos.com
Current Streaks
Marcos Castanon – 11 game hit streak
Broc Mortensen – Has reached base in six straight games
Zach Rodriguez – Four game hit streak
Cole Cummings – Has reached base in four straight games
In the Record Book
The 2021 Gauchos have etched their names into the all-time records on several occasions this season on both the individual and team level.
Team
510 strikeouts and counting – Most all-time in a single season
4 shutouts and counting – Tied for 5th all-time in a single season
Individual
Michael McGreevy: 100 strikeouts and counting – 10th all-time in a single season
Broc Mortensen: 17 HBP and counting – Tied for 6th all-time in a single season
Zach Rodriguez: 14 HBP and counting – Tied for 10th all-time in a single season
Jordan Sprinkle: 12 total bases – Tied for most all-time in a single game
Cole Cummings: 5 walks – Most all-time in a single game
Michael McGreevy: 15 strikeouts – Fourth most all-time in a single game
Cole is Crushing
Third baseman Cole Cummings has been the face of consistency for the Gauchos this year having reached base safely in 45 of the 49 games played this season. He eHecurrently leads the conference with 36 walks, ranks second with 47 runs scored, second with 17 doubles, and fifth with 62 hits. His doubles mark also ranks 17th in the country.
He recently etched his name into the Gaucho history books collecting a program-best five walks in a single game vs UC San Diego and is flirting with two top-ten lists needing two more doubles and eight more walks to rank 10th all-time in those categories for a single season.
Freshman on Fire
Ranking second in the conference in RBI this season is none other than true freshman outfielder Zach Rodriguez, who has knocked in 45 to this point. He also ranks second in hits (65) and batting average (.378), third in HBP (14) and total bases (97), and sixth in home runs (7).
Sprinkle it On
One of the top young shortstops in the conference, Jordan Sprinkle has emerged as a reliable spark plug for the Gauchos this year at the plate and on the basepaths. He currently leads the conference by a fair margin with 21 stolen bases this year, a mark that is good for 25th in the nation.
Additionally, the middle infielder is also fourth in hits (62) and runs (40), ninth in batting average (.348), fifth in total bases (95), eigth in doubles (13) and tenth in slugging (.525).
On the Mound
UCSB prides itself on strong defense and pitching, leading the Big West Conference in strikeouts (510). They also boast the second-best team opposing batting average at .239 and are foruth with a team ERA of 4.01.
Much of this comes from the dynamic duo of sophomores Michael McGreevy and Rodney Boone, who are ranked first and second in the conference with 100 and 92, respectively. Boone is 13th in the nation with eight wins, fifth in the nation with a 4.90 hits allowed per nine average, and is third in the conference with a 2.51 ERA. McGreevy is second in the nation with a 12.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio, third with a 0.87 walks allowed per nine average, and fifth in the conference with a 2.84 ERA. His 100 strikeouts also rank 19th in the country and are the 10th all-time by any Gaucho.
Big Bats
The Gauchos have been getting it done at the plate this season leading the Big West in several major offensive categories. This includes home runs (50), stolen bases (68), sac flies (25) and total bases (737). They are also second in the league with 323 runs scored, 469 hits, 303 RBI, 88 doubles, 15 triples, and a .439 slugging percentage.
Mortensen Mashes
First-year Gaucho Broc Mortensen has made his presence felt in his first season with UCSB ranking first in the conference in HBP (17), second in home runs (11), fourth in runs (40), fifth in RBI (37), and ninth in slugging (.532). His HBP count also ranks 10th in the nation and is tied for the 6th most all-time by any Gaucho.
McGreevy Earns Pair of Weekly Awards After 15-Strikeout Performance
After another incredible Friday start, Michael McGreevy was rewarded earning the Big West Pitcher of the Week award and being named one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week.
The sophomore slinger took the mound in game one of UCSB's series with Cal Poly this past weekend and fell just one short of tying the program's all-time strikeout record, fanning 15 batters in eight innings of work. He struck out at least one Mustang in every inning and multiple batters in the first six, including striking out the side in the fifth.
McGreevy is the first Gaucho to have a 15 K game and it is the fourth best performance in program history behind only Mario Hollands (2010), Barry Zito (1997), and Walt Rehm (1970) who each threw 16.
McGreevy gave up no walks and only allowed one player to reach base on him all night, allowing Cal Poly's Tate Samuelson two hits and a run.
He now joins Rodney Boone as one of just three pitchers in the conference to earn Big West Pitcher of the Week twice this season. He is the second player to be named to Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week after Jordan Sprinkle earned the nod in April.
Boone and McGreevy Named to Pitcher of the Year Award Watch List
Both Rodney Boone and Michael McGreevy of No. 25 UC Santa Barbara baseball have been named to the College Baseball Foundation's 2021 Pitcher of the Year Award watch list, the organization announced Tuesday.
The list features 44 of the top pitchers in DI college baseball and the Gauchos are just one of six teams in the nation to have two different players named. Boone and McGreevy are the two sole representatives from the Big West Conference. Boone was also recently named to the Golden Spikes midseason watch list, while McGreevy was on the preseason list.
Sprinkle Named to Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week List
After an incredible performance on the field for Jordan Sprinkle against UC San Diego, the young Gaucho was named to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's National Players of the Week list. This feat comes just days after being named to the Brooks Wallace Award watch list, which is given to the nation's top shortstop.
Sprinkle went 10-for-18 posting a team-high .526 batting average in the team's series win over UC San Diego. He tallied three doubles, two homers, seven RBI, nine runs, and went 5-for-5 on stolen bases as well. He collected a hit in each game and saw three multi-hit efforts.
In game three he etched his name in the Gaucho history books tying the all-time program record with 12 total bases. He also became the first Gaucho to hit back-to-back home runs since Austin Bush in 2017 and the first to notch a six-RBI game since Andrew Calica in 2015. Sprinkle went a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs, the two homers, a double, four runs, and six RBI.
No. 300
Head coach Andrew Checketts earned his 300th career win in the team's 11-4 win over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, March 20, 2021. He became the fourth Gaucho head coach to reach the milestone and still stands as the coach with the highest winning percentage in program history with a 320-198-4 record for a .615 mark
McGreevy Named Big West Pitcher of the Week
A stellar performance on the mound in the Hawai'i series earned Michael McGreevy the Big West Pitcher of the Week award. He becomes the fifth different Gaucho to bring home a weekly honor this season and it is the sixth award the team has tallied.
On April 2, McGreevy took the bump in the series opener on the island at Hawai'i and single-handedly shut the Rainbow Warriors down tossing a complete-game shutout. He only allowed three hits, not walking a single batter, as the Gauchos took the game 3-0. His 10 strikeouts tie a career-high, which he set just two weeks prior.
After allowing a single in the first, the sophomore righty retired the next eight UH batters in order and only allowed two more singles in the rest of the contest. He faced just 29 batters and retired the final nine Rainbow Warriors to end the game.
Another One
Another week, another award for Rodney Boone. The sophomore southpaw earned his third career Big West Pitcher of the Week honor on March 29. He becomes the first repeat winner this season after earning the nod on March 1 as well.
Boone helped the Gauchos to a seven-inning run-rule win over UC Davis this past weekend, tossing a complete game shutout. He allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out six
Mortensen Named Big West Field Player of the Week
Broc Mortensen was named Big West Field Player of the Week, after an outstanding series vs Cal State Fullerton. He is the third different Gaucho to earn the honor so far this season.
The junior transfer had his presence felt this past weekend as he competed in his first ever Big West series. Mortensen posted a .500 batting average with three home runs, three doubles, and nine RBI. He had eight total hits and touched home six times.
His biggest game came in the final matchup of the series when he went 3-for-4 with two homers, a double, five RBI, and three runs. All of the marks led the team.
If that wasn't enough, Mortensen came up clutch stepping to the plate with one on and one out in the top of the ninth blasting a homerun over the right field fence to send the game into extra innings.
This is the first Big West honor of his young Gaucho career.
Boone and Castanon Sweep Weekly Big West Awards
Marcos Castanon and Rodney Boone swept the weekly Big West awards after helping the Gauchos to a perfect 4-0 weekend against Pepperdine. Castanon earned his first career Big West Field Player of the Week award, while Boone picked up his second Big West Pitcher of the Week award.
After seeing his fellow middle-infielder, McClain O'Connor, earn the title week one, Castanon decided it was only right to keep the crown at UCSB. The junior posted a team best .438 batting over the weekend and collected two home runs, six runs, and nine RBI. He had three multi-hit games and has had at least one hit in all seven games this year.
Boone was dominant in his start in game two of the Saturday doubleheader tossing six innings of hitless baseball. The lefty allowed just three walks, struck out six, and retired 11 of the first batters he faced. He currently leads the Big West with a 2-0 record, a 0.00 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and a .057 opposing batting average.
O'Connor Named Big West Field Player of the Week
McClain O'Connor earned his first career Big West Field Player of the Week award after a phenomenal outing in the season opening series against Santa Clara.
The senior shortstop posted a 4-for-9 performance with four runs, seven RBI, and a stolen base. Each of his four hits went for extra bases notching two doubles, a triple, and a 413 ft. home run, giving him a 1.222 slugging percentage. He also posted a .444 batting average with a .462 on-base percentage.
He seemed to improve with every game collecting the doubles in game one, the triple in game two, and the homer in the final game.
