SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The No. 17 UCSB Baseall team dropped the second game of its opening series against the USF Dons this afternoon 6-3. 

On the Stat Sheet

• Sophomore Ryan Harvey - whose tremendous poise during fall practices became a focal discussion point around the team - earned the start. Working at a fast, yet efficient, pace Harvey contributed a solid 4.0 IP ceding two earned runs while striking out six over 68 pitches.

• It was a quiet day for the Gaucho bats as the visiting team only managed to collect four singles.

• 6' 2" sophomore right-hander Nick Welch was the first pitcher to relieve Harvey. In his first appearance since a scoreless ⅔ IP against Arizona in last year's regional, he contributed 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 1 BB, and 6 K. After a lead-off HBP and ensuing HR, Welch reset excellently, honing in his effective changeup.

• Jason Willow's 2 RBI single in the fifth pushes his hit and on-base streak to nine games.

• Freshman infielder Zander Darby - a Bay Area native - collected a pinch-hit single in the bottom of the ninth for his first collegiate hit.

How it Happened

• Facing USF's Weston Lombard - a left-handed DIII graduate transfer - head coach Andrew Checketts elected for a primarily right-handed lineup, which included handing freshman LeTrey McCollum (1-2 yesterday) his first collegiate start in LF. 
• The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when the Dons tagged Harvery with 3 hits including a 2-run HR. While consistently putting the ball in play off Lombard, the Gauchos only mustered two baserunners across the first four innings thanks to a HBP and a walk. Another leadoff HBP in the top of the fifth - which saw Lombard pulled after 51 pitches - would fuel a three-run inning punctuated by RBI hits from senior Willow and sophomore outfielder Nick Vogt, who was yesterday's hero.
• The Dons wasted no time in their half of the fifth, launching another deep 2-run HR - this time off of the Gaucho bullpen. The game would settle into a quiet pitchers duel until the bottom of the 8th when two costly throwing errors - including one off a pick-off attempt - permitted the Dons to tag on two insurance runs and make it 6-3.
• While a single and dropped third strike allowed the Gauchos to bring the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth, they were unable to reproduce the comeback magic from Friday's season-opener.

Other Notable Plays

• Fifth-year senior catcher Gianni Bloom nabbed his first runner of the season with a strike to Jason Willow in the bottom of the 2nd - Bryce Willits stole the Gauchos only bag of the game in the B5 and scored on Willow's 2 RBI single.

• In the bottom of the second, LeTrey McCollum stretched out for a great leaping catch against the outfield padding in left. His range in left-field, combined with battling the shadows at Bennedetti all afternoon was impressive.

Next Up
The No. 17 Gauchos will go for the series win tomorrow against the Dons tomorrow at 1PM at Bennedetti Diamond. Toeing the rubber for the Gauchos will be Ryan Gallagher, a freshman making his first collegiate start. The Dons probable starter is 6' 5" right-hander Sam Beck.