After dropping its first series of the season at Fresno State over the weekend, the UCSB baseball team continued to struggle across the board, taking a 7-4 loss against Santa Clara in a non-conference Monday afternoon game at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.

The Gauchos have lost four of their last six games.

The Broncos scoring kicked off in the first inning as UCSB starter JD Callahan beaned Jordan Lewis and allowed a double down the line to Robert Hipwell. With one down in the inning, Callahan limited the damage to one run from a sacrifice fly. 

The Gauchos tied it up in the third inning after Zander Darby hit a bloop sac fly, scoring Corey Nunez from third. With the Gauchos threating to score LeTrey McCollum advanced to third with a wild pitch. Christian Kirtley was unable to take advantage as he struck out to end the inning. 

John Newman Jr. put the Gauchos in front with a solo shot to left field. 

The Broncos were quick to respond with Hipwell getting another double, followed by RBI double from Efrain Manzo . 

Santa Clara came out swinging it in the seventh inning. Gaucho reliever Nick Welsh wasn’t able to finish the inning as Hipwell forced him out of the game following yet another RBI on a single to right field. 

Reliever Carter Benbrook escaped the seventh without allowing another run to the Broncos. He was less fortunate in the eighth, allowing two earned runs. 

UCSB coach Andrew Checketts brought in Alex Schrier to put a close to the inning. Schrier allowed one run (credited to Benbrook) before rolling a double play. 

Santa Clara extended its lead in the ninth inning with a leadoff home run that just cleared the leaping attempt from right fielder Broc Mortensen. The Broncos capitalized on a fielding error by Nunez to score another run, extending their lead 7-2. 

Schrier bounced back striking out two consecutive batters and getting a grounder to strand a runner at third. 

Santa Clara reliever Cade Pilchard was untouchable through his first two innings of work until the Gauchos struck in the beginning of the ninth. 

Jared Sundstrom led off the bottom half of the inning with a towering drive over the right field fence. Newman followed with his second home run of the day to right field. 

But the Gauchos’ rally was short lived as Broncos’ reliever Cade Pilchard induced three ground-ball outs to finish the game.

The Gauchos (18-7) return to Big West play with a three-game series at Cal State Fullerton, starting Thursday. UCSB goes into the series with a 5-1 conference record while Fullerton is 7-2.

By the Numbers: 

  • One of the Gauchos top hitters this season, Ivan Brethowr was given a day off after picking up a slight injury over the weekend against Fresno State. 
  • Catcher John Newman Jr. continued to stay hot. He is hitting 5-14 in his last three games with 5 RBIs.
  • The Gauchos stranded 4 runners in scoring position and grounded into 2 double plays. 
  • LeTrey McCollum extended his hit streak to 12 games with a ground-rule double. 

Intern from UCSB