SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara softball team picked up its second win in the South Coast Invitational on Saturday at Campus Diamond, defeating the Wagner Seahawks 12-0 in a five inning game. 

UCSB (5-14) recorded its second game of the year with five runs in a single inning, doing so twice today. In the circle, pitcher Alyssa Molina threw a five-inning shutout, allowing three hits, striking out seven, and walking only one, tallying her first win of the 2022 season.

The Gauchos got on the board in the bottom of the second which started with third baseman Korie Thomas moving to first base after she was hit by a pitch. Right fielder Ally Nodohara then doubled to center field to score Thomas. 

With Nodohara in scoring position, catcher Ashley Donaldson followed it up with a double to left field and collected her third RBI of the season. 

Left fielder Chloe Stewart had a single bunt, good enough to bring Donaldson across the plate. Second baseman Maci Fines hit a single to right field and advanced Stewart to third. Fines then got in a pickle between second and first base, while Stewart scored. 

With two outs, shortstop Madelyn McNally hit her own double to center field. First baseman Rayna Cohen hit an RBI double to right field and moved the score to 5-0. 

In the bottom of the third, Nodohara got a hit and Donaldson roped another RBI double to left field. Stewart put up a sacrifice fly as Donaldson rounded third and made it home on the throw, bringing the score to 7-0. 

While the Gauchos put runs on the board, Molina allowed just two hits through the first four innings, a single in the first and fourth - leaving both Seahawks on first base. 

The bottom of the fourth replicated the second in that the Gauchos collected five runs. Thomas got it started with two runners on base; she grounded out to second as Cohen advanced to third and McNally scored. 

Nodohara tallied her 11th hit and first triple of her senior campaign, racking up two RBIs as Cohen and pinch runner Lauren Lewis crossed the plate. 

Stewart ended the Gaucho scoring with a two RBI single as Donaldson and Nodohara made it home. 

Entering the top of the fifth inning, UCSB needed to hold the lead in order to end the game early. Molina had no issues as she struck out the first two Seahawks at-bat. The game ended with a pop up to McNally, leaving the score 12-0. 

Next Up
The Gauchos will play their final game of the South Coast Invitational tomorrow at 11:45 a.m. against the Santa Clara Broncos.