SAN JOSE, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara softball team split their first two games of the Silicon Valley Classic, dropping game one to Illinois State and bouncing back with an 8-1 win over San Jose State.
REDBIRDS 6, GAUCHOS 5
UC Santa Barbara fell to Illinois State 6-5 on Friday. The Gauchos managed a late comeback with a five-run sixth inning, but Illinois State held on for the win.
UCSB faced ISU in a game that saw a significant turnaround in the later innings. The Redbirds took an early lead, scoring twice in the first inning with a single and a bases-loaded walk. By the end of the third inning, the Redbirds extended their lead to 6-0, highlighted by a two-run homer and an RBI single from Boyer.
The pivotal moment for UCSB came in the sixth inning.
Jaelyn Toledo initiated the rally with a double, followed by a series of two-out hits and walks that led to five runs.
Emily Carr and
Ainsley Waddell contributed with pivotal base hits, while a key single from
Jazzy Santos brought in two runs, narrowing the deficit to one. Despite the offensive surge, UCSB's effort fell short in the seventh inning as the Redbirds maintained their lead. The Gauchos were unable to tie or take the lead in the seventh and fell 6-5.
GAUCHOS 8, SPARTANS 1
UC Santa Barbara secured an 8-1 victory over San Jose State during the second game of on Friday, with UCSB totaling 13 hits, including two triples, to overpower the Spartans.
Malaya Johnson delivered a complete game, allowing just one run and striking out three batters over seven innings.
San Jose initially took the lead in the first inning with a triple and the runner was driven in by an RBI-single. UCSB responded in the third inning as
Jazzy Santos tripled to drive in
Dani Rauscher, and later scored on a fielder's choice by
Bella Fuentes, taking a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth inning, the Gauchos extended their lead with an unearned run, as
Giselle Mejia scored on a single by Rauscher following a fielding error by SJSU. UCSB's offense surged again in the sixth inning, with
Ainsley Waddell's single driving in two runs, aided by a throwing error by the right fielder, pushing the score to 5-1.
The seventh inning saw UCSB solidify its win with a three-run burst. Santos delivered another crucial hit with a triple to right center, bringing in two runs after a single by
Tehya Banks had already driven in
Cat Benitez. UCSB's defense held firm, not allowing a run after the first inning. The Gauchos got back in the win column with an 8-1 victory.
UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara will play two more games tomorrow against Cal and Santa Clara at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. Both games will be played at Santa Clara Softball Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
