LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Gauchos have played their best softball in must-win elimination games.
Add two more pressure-cooker victories to their impressive list.
UCSB beat Arizona State 4-3 and then followed that up with a late night 7-5 8-inning win against San Diego State to stay alive at the Los Angeles Regional.
Last week UCSB won six straight elimination games to win the Big West Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
After losing to host UCLA on Friday 9-1, the Gauchos went into familiar territory of playing elimination games, first up was Arizona State.
GAME ONE: GAUCHOS 4, SUN DEVILS 3 (10 INN.)In the fourth inning, the Sun Devils took the lead with two runs. After a bunt single an RBI single, brought home the first run of the game. An additional run was added on a sac fly, giving ASU a 2–0 advantage.
UC Santa Barbara responded in the fifth inning. Erin Mendoza's single kickstarted the offense, followed by Jazzy Santos's single that advanced Mendoza to third. Giselle Mejia's RBI single put UCSB on the scoreboard and cut into the Sun Devil lead. Tehya Banks then delivered a crucial double to right center, driving in two runs and putting the Gauchos ahead 3–2 after the fifth inning.
ASU added another run in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a fielding error to level the score at 3–3. However, UC Santa Barbara's defense held firm for the remainder of the game, preventing any further scoring from the Sun Devils.
In the tenth inning, with the score tied, Santos was hit by a pitch and later advanced to third on a wild pitch. Delaina Ma'ae's single to shortstop led to a throwing error that allowed Santos to score the winning run, securing a 4–3 victory for UC Santa Barbara.
The Gauchos and Sun Devils battled out the 10 inning affair and in the end UC Santa Barbara outlasted Arizona State to win their first ever NCAA Championship game. Malaya Johnson threw all 10 innings picking up her 23rd win of the season and totaling a season-high 149 pitches. The 2025 Big West Pitcher of the Year struck out five while the Sun Devils scattered 10 hits in the game.
GAME TWO: GAUCHOS 7, AZTECS 5 (8 INN.)UC Santa Barbara opened the game with a strong start, scoring two runs in the first inning. Giselle Mejia and Tehya Banks reached base, setting up Bella Fuentes for a crucial two-RBI single to right field, giving UC Santa Barbara an early lead. SDSU was unable to respond in the bottom half, leaving the score 2–0.
In the third inning, SDSU took the lead with a three-run homer, shifting the momentum and putting them ahead 3–2. UC Santa Barbara responded in the fifth inning, reclaiming the lead with a three-run homer by Jazzy Santos, which brought in Erin Mendoza and pinch runner Lucy Mogan, making it 5–4 in favor of UC Santa Barbara.
After the Aztecs tied the game up in the bottom of the seventh, UC Santa Barbara regained the lead in the eighth inning. Elicia Acosta homered down the right field line, followed by a double from Delaina Ma'ae, who scored on a subsequent single by Santos, pushing the score to 7–5. The Aztecs were unable to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth, solidifying a 7–5 victory for UC Santa Barbara.
With the win, UC Santa Barbara clinched a spot in the Regional Championship game and improving their record to 8-0 when facing elimination in the postseason.
UP NEXTUC Santa Barbara will meet host institution UCLA tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. for game one of the Regional Championship. Should the Gauchos beat UCLA in the first game a second game will be played 45 minutes following the conclusion of the first game.
(UCSB Athletics provided the game recaps)
‘Never say die’ Gauchos win two elimination softball games at NCAA Tournament News Channel 3-12.
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