SANTA BARBARA – The SBCC baseball team bounced back from a 6-0 Tuesday defeat to Mt. SAC, using a five-run outburst in the sixth inning to defeat Oxnard 7-5 on Wednesday.
With their second straight win over the Condors (5-12, 1-3), the Vaqueros improved to 12-5 overall and 3-3 in WSC play.
SBCC 7, Oxnard 5
Similar to their first meeting of the year on Mar. 2, Oxnard got out to the faster start with three early runs. SBCC cut into the lead with two in the third, first getting on the board when right fielder Zach Torres scored via a Condor error.
The Vaqueros then loaded the bases when first baseman Presley Kosciusko was hit by a pitch. Another pitch struck left fielder Patrick Walsh on the following at bat and second baseman Daniel Hirose made it home to make it 3-2.
Neither team was able to scratch until the decisive sixth inning, when two big hits helped the Vaqueros put the game away. Three straight walks opened the inning and the Vaqueros found themselves with the bases loaded for a second time. A pair of two-run doubles ensued, first off the bat of Torres and then from shortstop Sebastian Arguelles, putting SBCC ahead 6-3 before taking a single out.
Later, a Kosciusko sacrifice fly brought in a run from Arguelles to give the Vaqueros a four-run advantage. From there, the Vaquero defense took care of business.
After entering the game at the top of the fourth, pitcher Aidan Garza continued to hold Oxnard scoreless with three straight groundouts in the seventh. No Condors would reach in the eighth as well. Two strikeouts would end the game in the ninth with the Vaqueros leading by two.
Despite being outhit 10-6, Santa Barbara took a 2-1 lead in the season series with the win.
Mt. SAC 6, SBCC 0
Things didn't go the Vaqueros' way the day prior, as they were shutout for the second time this season in their first of three games against Mt. SAC for the week.
After a scoreless first four innings, the Mounties (5-11) put up one run in both the fifth and sixth innings. They took a commanding 6-0 lead with four more runs in the seventh.
SBCC simply couldn't string enough hits together on offense. The Vaqueros totaled five for the game and weren't able to get two hits in any inning. Catcher Vince Gamberdella led the way with two hits.
