SBCC Flies Past Cuesta for Fourth Straight Win

SANTA BARBARA – After multiple postponed games, the SBCC baseball team returned to action with a big day offensively on Friday at Cuesta, as they downed the Cougars 10-3 for their fourth straight win.

The Vaqueros improved to 19-11 overall and 12-5 in WSC play, while Cuesta moved to 20-13 overall, 13-4 conference.

ON THE STAT SHEET

• It was the third straight game of at least 11 hits for SBCC, as four different Vaqueros tallied multiple hits.
• SBCC also had 10 walks, reaching double-digits in both hits and walks for the third time this year.
• Andrew McKenna and Gavin Haimovitz led the way with two hits and three RBI apiece. McKenna also finished with two walks and three runs.
• Gabe Baldavino went for a pair of season-highs with three runs and three walks. With one hit, he also extended to a five-game hit streak, his longest of the season.
• Pitcher Colby Downard (1-1) got the win after a solid opening five innings in which he gave up just two runs and three hits. Decker Mac Neil relieved him and was excellent as well, conceding just one run and two hits while striking out three.

HOW IT HAPPENED

1st Inning (3-0 SBCC)

• Santa Barbara jumped out to a quick lead as each of its first four batters made it on base. Baldavino hit a leadoff double, McKenna walked, then Owen Crevelt reached on a fielder's choice.
• Haimovitz then opened the scoring with a two-run single. Crevelt later scored on a sacrifice fly by Carson Cahoy to put the Vaqueros up by three.

2nd-3rd Innings (4-2 SBCC)

• After going hitless in the first, Cuesta cut into SBCC's lead with two runs on three hits in the second to make it a one-score game.
• In the top of the third, the Vaqueros doubled their lead with a pair of doubles, first from Pearce Blaney and then from Justin Deal to make it 4-2.

6th-9th Innings (10-3 SBCC)

• The Vaqueros would score in each of the last four innings en route to their first seven-run win since January.
• McKenna got things started with a two-run homer in the sixth as SBCC went up 6-2.
• Cahoy scored in the seventh and picked up an RBI walk in the eighth to bring Baldavino home.
• In the ninth, the Vaqueros capped their day with RBI singles from McKenna and Haimovitz.