SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (May 6, 2023) – The UC Santa Barbara softball team (26-19, 13-11 Big West) dropped the series finale against UC Riverside. The Gauchos and Highlanders needed extra innings to decide the rubber match. Three runs in the top of the ninth would put UCR on top and eventually give them the win. 

Through the first three frames, both teams were held scoreless, but in the bottom of the fourth, the gauchos would break the tie. Korie Thomas delivered an RBI single to center field, scoring Alexa Sams to give the Gauchos a 1-0 lead. 

UC Riverside responded with a run of their own after a solo home run tied the game back up at 1. 

The Gauchos and Highlanders stayed knotted at one apiece through the seventh inning. The tie was broken in the top of the eight after a hit batter with the bases loaded pushed a run across for UCR. Ava Bradford worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out, jam, allowing just a single run and keeping the Gauchos in the game.  

UC Santa Barbara carried that momentum into the bottom of the eighth inning. Sam Denehy led off the inning with a double before a hard-hit ball by Donaldson found the glove of the centerfielder. With one out Alexa Sams singled down the right field line scoring Denehy and tying the game back up. 

The game stayed tied as it moved to the ninth. In the ninth, the Highlanders pushed three runs across on two hits giving them a 5-2 cushion.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Gauchos could not keep the bats rolling and were set down in order to end the game. 

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The Gauchos will travel to Cal State Northridge next weekend. The Teams will play a doubleheader on Friday, May 12, and a single game on Saturday, May 13.