In a game where the ninth-ranked UCSB baseball team didn’t smack an extra-base hit, Nick Oakley drove in the eventual winning run with a fielder’s choice as the Gauchos defeated St. Mary’s, 4-2, in a nonconferece game Wednesday at Caesar Uyeska Stadim.
The Gaucho bats had been on a tear, banging homers, doubles and triples in their recent games,. But against St. Mary’s, UCSB took advantage of eight walks to improve to 34-11 on the season.
Down 2-0, the Gauchos used four free passes to score three runs. Jason Willow and Kyle Johnson led-off with walks and Blake Klassen moved everyone up 90 feet with an infield single. Bryce Willits and pinch-hitting Broc Mortensen drew back-to-back walks to tie the game. Oakley followed with a fielder’s choice that brough Klassen home for the third run.
The Gauchos added an insurance run in the seventh as Zander Darby, who earned his first career start at shortstop, drew a bases-load walk to make it 4-2.
St. Mary’s scored single runs off UCSB starter JD Callahan.
Callahan had a good outing for the Gauchos. He threw 5.2 innings and allowed six hits and struck out five.
Alex Schrier tossed 3.1 innings of hitless relief and struck out six in earning his first career save.
Willow was the sole Gaucho to see multiple hits going 2-for-3 with a run and a walk.
Christian Kirtley extended his on-base streak to 33 straight games with a single and Willitsr eached 31 straight games with a walk.