Radeke Strikes Out 13 as Cal Poly Defeats UCSB, 6-4

Friday, April 8

Santa Barbara, CA

6 pm

11-14, 3-1

UC Santa Barbara

12-12, 0-1

Cal Poly

UC Santa Barbara

Radeke Strikes Out 13 as Cal Poly Defeats UCSB, 6-4

4/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Junior right-hander Mason Radeke struck out 13, one shy of his career best, and scattered seven hits over seven innings as Cal Poly defeated UC Santa Barbara 6-4 in the opening game of a Big West Conference baseball series Friday afternoon at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.

Radeke, who walked two and gave up four runs, three earned, improved to 4-1 on the year. The Santa Barbara High School graduate struck out 14 batters in a victory over Valparaiso on March 4 in Baggett Stadium, tying the school Division I record.

Shortstop Mike Miller and designated hitter DJ Gentile each produced two hits and one RBI as Cal Poly improved to 3-1 in Big West games and 11-14 for the season.

UC Santa Barbara fell to 12-12 and 0-1 in the renewal of the Blue-Green Rivalry.

Cal Poly scored single runs in the first three innings for a 3-0 lead, let the advantage slip away, then snapped a 3-3 tie with two runs in the fifth and added one more run in the sixth.

Miller's RBI double down the left-field line scored Cal Poly's first run. A sacrifice fly by second baseman Denver Chavez made it 2-0 and Gentile reached base on a dropped fly ball and came home on a wild pitch to give the Mustangs their 3-0 cushion.

After the Gauchos tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, Cal Poly regained the upper hand with two runs in the fifth. Gentile's run-scoring double down the left-field line and Mitch Haniger's sacrifice fly to center plated the runs.

In the sixth, left fielder Jimmy Allen was hit by a pitch, stole second and came home on a pair of wild pitches.

UCSB starter Jesse Meaux (2-3) was charged with four wild pitches and allowed six runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings with three walks and four strikeouts. He also hit three Mustang batters.

Junior Jeff Johnson earned his fourth save for Cal Poly by securing the final six outs in relief of Radeke (pictured above). Four of the six outs were strikeouts as the Gauchos struck out 17 times against the Mustangs.

Allen joined Miller and Gentile with two hits each, but Cal Poly was outhit by UCSB 9-8. Sean Williams, Mark Haddow, Ryan Palermo and Joe Wallace all produced two hits for the Gauchos.

Cal Poly center fielder Bobby Crocker had his 10-game hitting streak snapped as he went 0-for-3. He was ejected in the seventh inning after a close play at first base in which he was called out after laying down a bunt.

Second game of the series will be played Saturday at 1 p.m. with Cal Poly to send senior right-hander Steven Fischback(2-2, 4.64 ERA) to the mound against UCSB senior right-hander Greg Davis (3-1, 2.90 ERA).

The series finale is Sunday at 1 o'clock.