To the competitive older brother, besting little brother is simply a must; if big brother wins, it was expected. If he dare loses, everything is vanished, namely pride.

Expectedly, the Gauchos baseball team rolled over its neighbors, Division III Westmont, 16-4 and lost nothing despite having everything to lose.

“In games like these, if you just go and throw your jocks out there, sure a game like this can hurt you; but we executed today, got a bunt down and did little things,” UCSB Head Coach Bob Brontsema said. “You have to play against the game.”
A late-blooming, sedate crowd at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium witnessed a 15-hit barrage by a Gaucho offense that crossed home in every inning but one and scored in double digits for the 10th time in 14 games.

The #21 nationally ranked Gaucho offense (8.4 runs per game) lent excess help to a pitching staff that needed little. Eric Posthumus dazzled on the mound, throwing six innings strong and allowing just three hits and one walk on no earned runs.

“We were a little thin in the pitching department, and we needed Posthumus to step up – and he did,” Brontsema said.

The big win afforded Brontsema the opportunity to empty his bench. 14 Gaucho fieldplayers saw action Wednesday, 10 of which reached based on a hit. Highlighting the hit parade was David Figoni’s 3-3 day and Taylor Vogt’s fifth-inning, opposite-field grand slam.

Sophomore Chris Caraballo was given an opportunity in the win and made the most of it, going 2-2 with one RBI.

The fifth best fielding team in the nation went without an error Wednesday while Westmont helped the Gauchos out with three errors and six free passes.
All four UCSB hurlers did not allow a run until the ninth inning when senior Aaron Jones’ endured a forgettable four-run Warrior outburst.

Jones has otherwise been superb for the Gauchos this season when they have needed him. despite not having a save opportunity since March 6 against New Mexico. In this case, the lack of save opportunities is a sign of good times, considering Santa Barbara has gone 12-3 since.

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