Starting pitcher Matt Ager and reliever Carter Benbrook didn’t allow a walk, and Christian Kirtley drove in three runs, leading the UCSB baseball team to its ninth straight win, a 4-2 decision over Cal State Bakersfield in a Big West game Saturday at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
Ager pitched 7.2 innings, his longest collegiate outing, and allowed two runs on six hits, while striking out eight in improving his record to 3-1.
Benbrook allowed one hit and struck out two over the final 1.1 innings to earn his second save.
Ager and Benbrook’s great control extended a streak of UCSB pitchers not allowing a base on balls to 26 innings.
UCSB improves 14-3 on the season and 2-0 in the Big West. Cal State Bakersfield is 7-10, 0-2.
Ager had an early lead to work with as Kirtley pounded a two-run homer over the scoreboard in left field in the first inning.
UCSB had a chance to add on in the second inning. A two-out walk, a hit batter, and an errant pick-off throw put runners on second and third. But Bakersfield escaped the inning.
The Gauchos capitalized on a Roadrunner error in the fifth. With two outs and runner on first, Bakersfield’s shortstop misplayed a bouncing grounder, allowing Aaron Parker to reach base and Ivan Berthowr to advance to third. After a four-pitch walk loaded the bases, Kirtley worked a walk himself for his third RBI of the game.
Bakersfield finally got to Ager in the fifth as Konnor Palmeira singled home AJ Miller, who led off the inning with a single.
Ager gave up another lead-off single in the sixth, but stranded the runner. In the seventh, he struck out the first two batters then made a great play on a grounder in front of the mound to end the inning.
The Gauchos gave their starter added insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Jared Sundstrom reached on an infield single, stole second, and scored on a LeTrey McCollum single to make it 4-1.
McCollum and Sundstrom each had two hits for UCSB.
Ager pitched into the eighth inning for the first time in his career and gave up another lead-off single and then allowed his first extra-base hit of the evening, an RBI double to the right-centerfield gap by Kyler Stancato.
Benbrook took over and ended the inning with one pitch.
In the ninth, he struck out the first two Roadrunners before getting a huge hand from his defense. With a runner on first, the Bakersfield batter hit a fly ball into shallow right field. Right fielder Brethowr hustled and made a diving catch to end the game.
UCSB will go for the series sweep on Sunday, with first pitch currently scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Some rain is in the forecast for Sunday, which may affect the start time of the game. Stay tuned to ucsbgauchos.com and the team’s social media accounts for updates.