Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif.- No. 5 UCSB Baseball fell (37-12) to USC (25-25) in a neck-and-neck 5-4 midweek game Tuesday night. The Gauchos had opportunities to take the lead thorughout the game but left 13 total runners on base.
On the Stat Sheet
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JD Callahan earned the start and pitched 5.1 innings in the no decision. He collected two strikeouts and gave up only one run earned.
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Nick Vogt extended hitting streak to 21 straight games going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks.
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Christian Kirtley and Bryce Willits extended their on-base streaks to 37 and 35 straight games. Kirtley also had a double and RBI.
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Kyle Johnson went 2-for-4 with a walk and a double.
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John Newman Jr. had two hits, two RBI, and his second home run of the season.
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Zander Darby hit his seventh home run of the season.
How It Happened
- Determined to avenge their loss, UCSB came out heavy on defense, not letting Trojans past second base for three innings straight.
- USC scored a single run off a double play in the fourth frame, but JD Callahan ended the inning before the visitors could score again.
- The Gauchos responded with an opposite field homer by Zander Darby at the bottom of the inning to tie the game.
- With two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth, USC scored two runs on bases-loaded walks, giving them the lead 3-2.
- Tensions were high as the game descended into the last innings. USC scored another two runs off a single RBI to go up 5-1.
- In the bottom of the frame, Vogt walked and Kirtley doubled to left field to him home and close the lead to 5-2. Mortensen's ground out advanced Kirtley to third, and then it was Newman Jr. with a bomb to left field to bring Kirtley home to make it a one-run game. Johnson was next nearly homering to right to tie the game but the ball fell just short of the fence for a double. UCSB had the tying run in socring position but Trojans closed it out to win it 5-4.
Next Up
UCSB will end the home season taking on UC Riverside in a three-game series and hope to claim the Big West title with a pair of wins. Game one is set for Friday at 5:30 PM.
