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April 16, 2021 at 10:45 am by Garret Harcourt
Siavash Ghadiri / Daily Nexus
Just as the Gauchos wrapped up the series this weekend against Cal State Northridge. Letâs take a look at how the team is doing a little past the halfway point of the season.Â
With much to play for as the season goes on, the Gauchos are in the midst of a battle for the top spot in the Big West with UC rival, UC Irvine. Although the Gauchos boast a better win percentage at 70% as opposed to UCIâs 65.5% in conference play, the Gauchos are a game back of the Anteaters.Â
First place is just within the Gauchosâ grasp â¦
The Gauchos with a series win or sweep can go to the top of the Big West conference, with a little help from rival Cal Poly Slo playing host to top of the conference, UC Irvine.Â
A moral boost with half the season to play for â¦
The Tritons with a series win can break even in conference play or better yet, go one game above .500 with a series sweep.
The crafty lefty â¦
LHP Rodney Boone is coming off a 14-strikeout start against Cal State Northridge, looking to keep UC San Diegoâs bats quiet.
Housing and Development Newsletter
Conner Dand finished off the final 3.2 innings to earn his second save of the season. The senior allowed just one hit and one walk, while fanning three.
Broc Mortensen got things going with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first to score Jordan Sprinkle.
UCSB would hang a six on the board in the second inning as five straight batters reached bases thanks to solid hitting and a pair of errors in the infield. Gianni Bloom and Zach Rodriguez each collected two-run singles and Mortensen earned his second RBI of the afternoon on a single that blazed down the right field line. The Gauchos posted five hits in the inning and took a 7-0 lead.
Housing and Development Newsletter
The game remained tied until the sixth inning when the Gauchos finally got the bats going. Cole Cummings hit a one-out infield single and Broc Mortensen followed with a single to right field, allowing Cummings to reach third. Zach Rodriguez hit a single to left-center, scoring Cummings and Mortensen.
In the ninth, Michael Marsh entered the game as a pinch-hitter and collected an RBI infield single to make it 3-0.
Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with the two RBI, and Bryce Willits went 2-3. Mortensen, Nick Vogt and Nick Oakley each had a stolen base.
UCSB will throw Cory Lewis and Rodney Boone in Saturday doubleheader.