Courtesy of UCSB athletics.

The number 22 ranked UCSB Baseball took on the Campbell Camels at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on opening day, in which the Gauchos were able to score their first win of the 2025 season, winning out against the Camels 6 to 1.

With hotshot pitcher and preseason All-American Tyler Bremner starting on the mound for the Gauchos, the Camels were held scoreless in the top of the first inning before returning the favor, leaving both teams nil-nil at the end of the first.

In the second inning, after keeping Campbell at bay, the Gauchos were able to strike first and score. After both the designated hitter, Isaac Kim, and the right fielder, Rex DeAngelis were hit by wild pitches, third baseman Xavier Esquer singled to left field, bringing Kim home to score and putting the Gauchos up 1-0.

After keeping the Camels at zero runs on top of the third inning, the Gauchos were able to score two more runs thanks to a wild pitch that put centerfielder LeTrey McCollum on base and a two run home run from senior first baseman Jack Holman, extending their lead to 3-0 at the bottom of the third.

Thanks to the Gaucho’s sophomore pitcher AJ Krodel, the Camels were once again held at zero runs in the top of the fourth inning before also holding UCSB scoreless in the bottom of the fourth.

Another inning of work by Krodel left Campbell with no runs in the top of the fifth. At the bottom of the fifth, however, the Gauchos were able to further extend their lead. A walk for Jack Holman and a triple to right field from sophomore second baseman Johnathan Mendez put UCSB up 4 to 0 going into the sixth inning. A quiet sixth and seventh innings kept the Gauchos up by four going into the eighth, but bats for both teams heated up late into the game. After a few wild pitches by UCSB’s AJ Krodel, preseason All-American Sophomore Cole Tryba came into the game for the Gauchos. The Camels were able to score on a hit by pitch, but despite having bases loaded were only able to get one across in the eighth inning, with the Gauchos still winning 4 to 1 going into the bottom of the eighth.

After second baseman Xavier Esquer was put on base via a wild pitch, junior catcher Nate Vargas doubled to right field, allowing the Gauchos to further widen the gap and keep UCSB up at 5 to 1. Another pitch in the dirt and a dropped third strike allowed Vargas to score before the inning came to a close, with the Gauchos firmly in the lead 6 to 1.

Thanks to Tryba, the Camels were unable to score in the top of the ninth, ending the game with a final score of UCSB 6, and the Campbell Camels 1.

With this opening day win, the Gaucho’s record moves to 1-0 on the season. UCSB was also able to showcase its bullpen, with two preseason All-Americans taking the mound in this opening series. The Gauchos will travel to San Diego, California for the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament, where they will face Seattle U, San Diego State, and Cal Baptist University.

A version of this article was printed in the Feb 20th edition of the Daily Nexus.