Playing its first two games of the Big West season at Cal Poly on Saturday, UCSB (18-17, 0-2) fell to the Mustangs by final scores of 4-1 and 3-1.
Redshirt freshman Whitney Pemberton earned an RBI in the first game and senior Kristen Clark notched drove in the Gaucho run in the nightcap.
Facing a talented Cal Poly (26-8, 2-0) team, the Gauchos managed to shut out the Mustangs until the bottom of the fifth. That’s when Cal Poly opened the scoring, as it picked up a pair of runs to take a 2-0 lead.
UCSB made 2-1 on a sac fly by Pemberton in the top of the sixth. Cal Poly added two more runs – both unearned – in the bottom of the sixth on the way to the 4-1 win.
The Gauchos finished the game with six hits, compared to eight for the Mustangs. The six hits were tied for the second-most that Cal Poly pitcher Sierra Hyland has given up this season.
Sophomore Sierra Altmeyer led the way with two hits, going 2-3 at the plate.
In the second game of the day, both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the third. Chelsea Convissar opened the scoring for the Mustangs on a single by Sierra Hyland.
In the bottom of the fifth, Cal Poly would add to the lead, as Ashley Tornio scored on an error to make it 2-0. Hyland would also score a run in the inning off a double by teammate Crimson Kaiser.
The Gauchos would score their second run of the day in the top of the seventh, as Clark hit a single up the middle to bring Marino home. UCSB outhit the Mustangs 8-7, as Hinojosa and junior Jessica Johnston led the way with two hits apiece.