College Baseball : UC Santa Barbara Routs UCI for Gauchos’ 8th Win in Row

UC Santa Barbara got 18 hits in a 15-3 Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. baseball victory over host UC Irvine Thursday.

In the conference opener for both teams, Santa Barbara first baseman Greg Vella went 3 for 6 with five runs batted in, including two home runs. It was the eighth consecutive win for the Gauchos, who are 19-19 overall.

Tom Baine hit a two-run home run in the first inning for the Anteaters (10-10-2).

Santa Barbara’s Mike Tresemer picked up the win, improving his record to 5-1. UCI’s Craig Brink (3-2) took the loss.

The two schools meet again this afternoon at UCI.

In NAIA District 3 play:

Southern California College 5-2, Azusa Pacific 1-7--In the first game of the doubleheader at SCC, Randy Frazier went 1 for 3 with two RBIs and Mark Deushane (4-2) pitched a three-hitter for the Vanguard victory.

In the second game, Paul Cunningham went 2 for 4, including a two-run homer in the fourth inning, to lead Azusa Pacific. SCC (4-2 and 16-9) plays host to UC San Diego Tuesday.

In nonconference community college play:

Saddleback 12, Southwestern 10--The Gauchos’ Todd Inglehart went 3 for 4 with three doubles, and Steve Pratt went 2 for 5 with three RBIs to pace the victory at Saddleback. Scott Hefner also homered for the Gauchos. Reliever Jim Devine (1-0) picked up the win. Saddleback (10-6) meets Mira Costa in a nonconference game today at San Diego.