LOS ANGELES — The UC Santa Barbara softball team got in the win column, defeating Utah Tech 10-4, but fell in their final game of the weekend to LMU on a walk-off single.
 
GAME ONE: GAUCHOS 10, TRAILBLAZER 4
UC Santa Barbara's offensive surge included a four-run fourth inning, effectively stifling any momentum from Utah Tech's lineup.
 
UC Santa Barbara and Utah Tech faced off, with UC Santa Barbara starting strong in the second inning. Jaelyn Toledo singled, followed by Delaina Ma'ae's two-run homer to left field, putting the Gauchos ahead 2-0. The Trailblazers remained scoreless through the first three innings, while UC Santa Barbara extended their lead in the third when Daryn Siegel's single brought Tehya Banks home, making it 3-0.
 
In the fourth inning, the Trailblazers surged with four runs, capitalizing on defensive errors to briefly take the lead. However, UC Santa Barbara responded decisively in the bottom of the fourth. Emily Carr's solo home run tied the game. Bella Fuentes walked and scored a run to regain the lead. Ainsley Waddell's single drove in two more, pushing the score to 7-4.
 
UC Santa Barbara further solidified their advantage in the sixth inning. Waddell blasted a solo home run, and Carr followed with a two-run homer, extending the lead to 10-4. The final innings saw UC Santa Barbara maintaining their defensive stance, shutting down the Trailblazers' attempts to close the gap.
 
UC Santa Barbara secured a 10-4 victory, with standout performances from Carr and Waddell, each contributing multiple home runs and RBIs.
 
GAME TWO: LIONS 2, GAUCHOS 1
UC Santa Barbara managed only one run in the seventh inning, while the Lions secured the victory with a run in both the sixth and seventh innings.
 
In the opening inning, UC Santa Barbara managed to get runners into scoring position with Ainsley Waddell's single and stolen base, but the inning ended without a score, leaving two on base. Loyola Marymount also left two on base, keeping the game scoreless. The fourth inning saw Daryn Siegel hit a leadoff double for UC Santa Barbara, advancing to third, but the team was unable to bring her home, maintaining the score at 0-0 after the fourth.
 
The game remained tense until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Lions hit a solo home run to right field, giving them a 1-0 lead. UC Santa Barbara responded in the seventh inning with Waddell's solo home run to right-center, tying the game at 1-1. However, in the bottom of the seventh, Loyola Marymount regained the lead with a single by S. Harvell, driving in A. Francis, who had reached third base on a stolen base and a throwing error.
 
The game concluded with the Lions securing a 2-1 victory over UC Santa Barbara.
 
UP NEXT
UC Santa Barbara will have a quick turnaround as they host Kentucky for their first home game on Tuesday, Feb. 10. The Gauchos and Wildcats will start at 12 p.m. at Campus Diamond. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live stats available.