LOS ANGELES — The UC Santa Barbara softball team fell to Northern Colorado 7-2 and No. 7 UCLA on Friday at Easton Stadium. Bella Fuentes drove in all three runs for the Gauchos on the day.
 
GAME ONE: BEARS 7, GAUCHOS 2
UC Santa Barbara managed seven hits, including a home run, but was unable to overcome Northern Colorado's seven extra-base hits.
 
In the first inning, UC Santa Barbara's Jazzy Santos led off with a walk, and Tehya Banks followed with a double, but the Gauchos were unable to capitalize, leaving both runners stranded. Northern Colorado opened the scoring in the second inning with a two-run homer, putting them ahead 2-0. They extended the lead in the third with a solo home run to make it 3-0.
 
In the fourth inning, Bella Fuentes provided a spark for UC Santa Barbara with a solo home run to left field, narrowing the deficit to 3-1. However, Northern Colorado responded in the fifth inning with three runs, highlighted by a two-run homer, increasing their lead to 6-1. The Gauchos' offense struggled to find rhythm but managed to add a run in the seventh when Banks scored on a single by Fuentes, concluding the inning at 7-2.
 
The game concluded with Northern Colorado securing a 7-2 victory over UC Santa Barbara. Despite the loss, standout performances included Fuentes' two RBIs and a home run.
 
GAME TWO: NO. 7 UCLA 18, GAUCHOS 1 (5 INN.)
UC Santa Barbara managed six hits, including three doubles, while UCLA hit three home runs and drew eight walks in a decisive win.
 
The Gauchos and the Bruins faced off in a game where UCLA took the lead early. In the first inning, Jazzy Santos opened with a double to right center, but the Gauchos were unable to capitalize, leaving a runner stranded on third. UCLA responded with a solo home run by Slimp, taking a 1-0 lead.
 
The second inning saw the Bruins extend their lead significantly. A series of walks and hits, including a two-RBI triple and a three-run homer, contributed to an eight-run inning, putting UCLA ahead 9-0.
 
In the third inning, UCLA continued its offensive momentum, scoring seven more runs. Key plays included a two-RBI single and a two-RBI single, which widened the gap to 16-0.
 
UC Santa Barbara showed resilience in the fifth inning. After Siegel singled to center field, pinch runner Jazmyn Johnson scored on a double by Bella Fuentes, putting the Gauchos on the scoreboard. However, the game concluded with UCLA securing an 18-1 victory.
 
UP NEXT
The Gauchos will play two more games tomorrow, Feb. 7. They begin the day by taking on Oregon State at 10:30 a.m. followed by a game against Utah at 1 p.m. Both games will be streamed on FloCollege with live stats available.