Stuck in the midst of a four-game losing streak, the UCSB baseball team travels to Davis this weekend for a matchup with a future Big West foe.
After getting swept over the weekend and losing a midweek game at USC (26-23 overall, 7-9 in the Pac-10), the Gauchos (21-26 overall, 9-9 Big West) will try to stop the slide against a UC Davis (21-28) team that has struggled against Big West teams this season.
Three players with lengthy hitting streaks lead the Gaucho offensive attack. Junior center fielder Chris Fox has gotten a hit in 19 straight games, followed by senior first baseman Robbie Blauer and junior third baseman Patrick Rose, who’s streaks lie at 16 and 14 games respectively. Blauer leads the team with a .398 average on the season, while Fox has upped his average to .333. Rose has solidified a spot as the teams number two hitter with a .307 average and 25 runs scored in 35 starts. The trio has excelled at the top of the order in part because of the protection that junior transfer Mike Zuanich has provided in the cleanup spot. Zuanich is hitting .311 on the year with five home runs and 35 RBI.
Sophomore Chris McMurray and senior Matt Anderson have solidified the catcher’s spot, combining for three home runs and 30 runs driven in, while catching 31 of 47 attempted base stealers. Shortstop Shane Carlson has been a big contributor as of late, hitting .485 in his last 10 games to raise his batting average to a season-high .250.
While the bullpen struggled last week, senior right-handers Justin Segal and Steve Morlock will still be the go-to guys at the end of games. Segal and Morlock are second and third on the team in ERA, to go with a combined 10 saves this season.