“We had to mix things up due to injuries,” said head coach Dan Powers. “A few pieces of the puzzle worked and others need more work. It was a great learning weekend as we get closer to conference play. We still have a lot of work ahead of us but this team has shown we can pull it all together and win.”
The Redhawks travel to San Diego next weekend to face Weber State, Fairleigh Dickinson, and San Diego.
Game 1: UC Santa Barbara 4, Seattle U 2
After a scoreless first inning, UC Santa Barbara took the early 2-1 lead in the second inning as Kathryn Pilpil and Kristen Clark scored on back-to-back plays. Bubba Morrow (Auburn, Wash.) scored in the bottom of the frame on a wild pitch by the UCSB pitcher.
Each team left one on base in the third inning as Isabella Geronimo (San Mateo, Calif.) reached as far as third, but neither team could bring their respective runners home.
The Gauchos would add a run apiece in the fourth and sixth innings to extend their lead on a pair of solo home runs by Lauren Boser and Jenessa Jeppesen.
The Redhawks would score one more in the bottom of the fifth on a home run to left field by Kayla Shuster-Gonzales (Escondido, Calif.) but it was not enough to erase the deficit as they fell, 4-2.
In the circle, Mandie Sugita (Rossmoor, Calif.) was handed the loss, allowing all four runs on nine hits while striking out two in seven innings pitched. Andriana Collins and Shelby Wisdom shared time in the circle as Collins came away with the win in the start. Each Gaucho pitcher struck out one batter apiece.
Morrow led the Redhawks with two hits while three different Gauchos recorded a team-high two hits.
Game 2: Nevada 6, Seattle U 0
The Redhawks started the game with offensive intensity, advancing Sarah Petosa (Federal Way, Wash.) and Geronimo reached second and third. SU also left a runner on base over the next three innings.
Nevada scored four runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth, which would prove to be the deciding factor as only one more Redhawk runner reached base in the final two innings.
The Wolf Pack scored two unearned runs in the fourth and two more on a 2RBI single to left center by Nikki Orozco. Ashley Butera opened the fifth on a solo home run before Sara Parsons scored an unearned run later in the inning.
Geronimo, Petosa, and Sugita recorded hits for the Redhawks while Orozco led the Wolf Pack with two of the team’s nine hits.
In the circle, Alyssa Reuble (Lynnwood, Wash.) was handed the loss in the start, walking one and striking out four, and Lindsay Davis (Palo Cedro, Calif.) entered in relief for the final 1 1/3 innings. McKenna Isenberg earned the win in the start, walking three and striking out one before Karlyn Jones entered in relief for the final inning.