With back-to-back complete games from Ashley Ludlow and Veronika Gulvin, UCSB (19-17) clinched the series win over rival Cal Poly (16-13), as they held the Mustangs to only one run in Saturday’s Big West softball doubleheader.
Ludlow led the Gauchos to a 2-1 victory in game one, while Gulvin shutout Cal Poly 3-0 in the second contest.
Gulvin (6-8), a former Dos Pueblos High star, allowed just four hits and walk with a strikeout.
Jessica Johnston and Melanie Menor co-led the Gauchos with two hits each, as Johnston came up with the game’s biggest hit with a triple roped down the right-field line. The two also provided UCSB with both if its RBIs.
Gulvin mowed her way through just 27 Mustang batters and saw just one batter reach third base, as she held Cal Poly to just four singles. Following back-to-back three up, three down innings, the Mustangs set up their best scoring opportunity in the fourth inning after their two lead off batters reached base.
Both runners were bunted over into scoring position with one out, but neither would reach home plate as Gulvin got out of the jam after forcing Ashley Tornio into a foul out to third base.
In the opener, Ludlow (6-7) pitched her team-high eighth complete game of the year, picking up her sixth win and striking out six batters with only one walk and one run.
Cal Poly struck first by scoring their only run in the top of the first inning. Lead off batter Stephanie Heyward was hit by a pitch, stole second, and would come around to score after a single and fielder’s choice. Cal Poly threatened to score more with two outs and bases loaded, but Ludlow forced a fly out to center field to end the threat.
UCSB defense retired the next six Mustang batters over the second and third innings with two strikeouts, a ground out, and three outs in the air.
The Gauchos scored two and collected four of their five hits during the fourth inning.
With two outs, senior Arianna Palomares singled into left field and was followed by a single into centerfield by Emily Brucleas. With runners on second and third Sierra Altmeyer singled down the left field line to score Palomares. Brucelas came around to score next on a Melanie Menor single into left field.
UCSB relied on the heart of its lineup to produce its offense, as each batter from Jessica Johnston in the three spot to Melanie Menor in the seventh spot recorded one hit. Altmeyer and Menor came up with the two RBIs with their back-to-back left field singles.