SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Softball team (17-16, 6-3 Big West) dropped both games of their midweek doubleheader against Santa Clara on Wednesday afternoon. Despite leading for six innings in game one, a four-run seventh inning was the difference. The Gauchos tried to mount their own comeback in game two but came up just short.
GAME ONE: GAUCHOS 5, BRONCOS 6
In the first inning, UC Santa Barbara took an early lead with a strong start, scoring two runs.
Alexa Sams singled down the left field line and was driven in by
Jazzy Santos, who doubled to right center for an RBI. Santos later advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly by
Bella Fuentes.
The second inning saw UC Santa Barbara extend their lead to 4-1.
Tehya Banks was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a passed ball, setting the stage for
Katie Terrazas to single to left field, bringing Banks home. Terrazas advanced to third on
Erin Mendoza's single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Sams, marking another productive inning for the team.
In the third inning, UC Santa Barbara capitalized on a throwing error to add another run. Santos singled and advanced to third on the error, scoring on a sacrifice fly from Fuentes. This increased their lead to 5-1, maintaining momentum through the early innings.
The seventh inning proved pivotal as SCU mounted a comeback. After scoring one run in the fourth, they exploded for four runs in the final inning. A double to right center cleared the bases, scoring three runs and turning the game in the Broncos' favor with a final score of 6-5. Despite the strong start, UC Santa Barbara was unable to counter in the bottom of the seventh.
GAME TWO: GAUCHOS 2, BRONCOS 3
In the second inning, UC Santa Barbara's
Bella Fuentes initiated their offensive efforts with a double down the left field line. Despite this promising start, the Gauchos were unable to capitalize further, leaving Fuentes stranded at third by inning's end. Both teams remained scoreless through the initial two innings.
During the fourth inning, UC Santa Barbara managed to narrow the gap in the score.
Giselle Mejia's triple down the right field line set the stage, and
Emily Carr's sacrifice fly brought Mejia home, making the score 2-1. This inning marked the first run for UC Santa Barbara.
UC Santa Barbara continued to fight back in the seventh inning with
Tehya Banks delivering a crucial home run to left center. This solo shot brought UC Santa Barbara within one run, making the score 3-2. Despite this effort, the game concluded with SCU maintaining their lead.
UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara will return to conference play on Saturday, March 29 as they host Cal Poly for a three-game set. The Gauchos and Mustangs will play a doubleheader on Saturday with game one starting at noon. The two teams will conclude the series on Sunday with a single game at 1 p.m.
