*Photo: Regina Rickert
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – No. 16 UC Santa Barbara scored seven runs in the first three innings to post a 10-3 win over Kentucky in the opener of the three-game series, on a sunny Friday afternoon at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
Kentucky (2-2) fell behind early in the first three innings, as the Gauchos plated two runs in the first, one in the second and four in the bottom of the third inning, later adding a three-run fifth.
UK was led offensively by a three-hit game for catcher Zach Arnold, with Ka’ai Tom and Kyle Barrett each charting two hits. UK also got hits from Thomas Bernal, Evan White and Riley Mahan.
UK starter Kyle Cody (0-1) suffered the loss in his second start of the year. Cody worked three innings, allowing six hits and seven runs, walking one and striking out three. Matt Snyder, Ryne Combs and Brad Schaenzer worked in relief. Schaenzer worked three hitless innings to save the UK bullpen.
UC Santa Barbara (5-0) starter Shane Bieber turned in a strong start to improve to 2-0. Bieber worked eight innings, allowing nine hits and two runs. Alex Garcia worked the ninth inning.
Kentucky will return to action at UCSB on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. The game broadcast live on the UK Radio Network, with Dick Gabriel voicing the action. Fans in Lexington can hear the Saturday game on Fox Sports 1580-AM and the finale on WLAP 630-AM in Central Kentucky. The broadcast is also available on UKathletics.com.
UCSB jumped on the Wildcats in the bottom of the first inning, as Woody Woodward drew a five-pitch walk and Cameron Newell smashed a 0-1 offering over the rightfield fence for a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats got a run back in the top of the second, as Tom led off with a hustle double into the left-centerfield gap, taking third after a misfired back-pick by catcher Luke Swenson. Evan White then lofted a sacrifice fly down the rightfield line, with Tom beating the throw with a head-first slide.
UCSB immediately got the run back as Swenson led off with a triple off the wall in rightfield and Campbell Wear followed with a blast to rightfield that forced a great catch from Storm Wilson, scoring Swenson.
The Gauchos opened up the game with four runs in the bottom of the third, taking a 7-1 lead.
UK got a run back in the fifth inning on a RBI single from Barrett.
UCSB plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning for a 10-2 lead.
UK plated a run in the ninth inning, with Troy Squires forcing home a run with a RBI groundout.
GAME NOTES: Freshman shortstop Riley Mahan made his first career start … Junior righty Kyle Cody made his team-leading 18th career start … Sophomore second baseman JaVon Shelby made his club-leading 54th consecutive start … Junior leftfielder Ka’ai Tomnotched his third double of the year and the 10th of his career … Mahan laid down his first two career sacrifice bunts … Junior catcherZach Arnold has a 13-game hitting streak, dating back to 2014 … Junior Ryne Combs made his season debut … Junior Matt Snydermade his season debut … Freshman Brad Schaenzer made his collegiate debut.
// </script
Comments
