UCSB Softball secured its weekend series against CSU Bakersfield with a 9-0 win on Sunday at the Campus Diamond in Santa Barbara.
The Gauchos (21-16, 11-1 Big West) remained in sole possession of first place in the Big West with the victory, while the Roadrunners (6-27, 4-8 BW) now sit in seventh place.
Sophomore right fielder Giselle Mejia put the Gauchos ahead early in the first inning with a home run to right field. Her first home run of the season scored freshman center fielder Dani Rauscher, who had reached on an error, to take a 2-0 lead.
Bakersfield showed the Gauchos a couple of different pitchers in all three games, but UCSB was prepared.
“Games like this, when we play them three times in a row, I’m able to pick up on some patterns, how they pitch to me in the three games,” said Mejia.
This early lead was crucial to the Gauchos, according to UCSB head coach Jo Evans.
“Giselle Mejia goes up there, I think that’s her first home run of the season, second career home run,” Evans said. “So to get us on the board early, that made a huge difference for us.”
The second and third innings were scoreless for both teams, each side getting a few hits, but no runs.
“I think it was just a matter of us getting comfortable to play. I thought we had some good at-bats, we hit the ball hard right at people,” Evans said. “What I like and appreciate about our players is that they’re mature enough to understand, you know, it’s not the end of the world, you’re gonna get another at-bat, just be prepared for that.”
The fourth inning was when the Gauchos found their rhythm, scoring seven runs to extend their lead over the Runners.
Senior Jazzy Santos led off with a single, and sophomore catcher Delaina Ma’ae followed by reaching base on an error. Emma Carr, junior left fielder, then stepped up and knocked a single, allowing both Santos and Ma’ae to score.
Late in the fourth inning, junior shortstop Tehya Banks hit a deep ball for a double, adding two more runs. Santos went up to bat again and delivered a big hit with a double to right center that drove in three more runs. By the end of the fourth inning, UCSB had built a commanding 9–0 lead.
“Jazzy Santos was really good at the plate,” Evans said. “She stepped up and gave us big RBIs in that last situation.”
Junior left-handed pitcher Ainsley Waddell put on a spectacular performance in her first shutout of the Big West season, with four strikeouts and only allowing three hits.
“Ainsley Waddell was terrific on the mound, really stood out,” added Evans. “In particular because she had struggled in our last couple of outings, so for her to go out there and be so solid on the mound, got us off the field in a hurry every inning.”
The Gauchos will play another series at home, hosting the University of Hawaii back on Campus Diamond beginning on Friday at 12 p.m.