Cal Poly Drops First Big West Game, Falling 4-0 to UC Santa Barbara

Sunday, April 2

1 pm

26-9, 2-1

UC Santa Barbara

19-17, 1-2

UC Santa Barbara

Cal Poly

Cal Poly Drops First Big West Game, Falling 4-0 to UC Santa Barbara

4/2/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Senior righthander Sierra Hyland struck out six UC Santa Barbara hitters Sunday afternoon, but the Cal Poly softball program was held to three hits and closed its Big West Conference opening series versus the Gauchos with a 4-0 defeat.

Hyland (15-6) set down the Gauchos in order during the top of the first and, after conceding a leadoff double to UC Santa Barbara second baseman Sierra Altmeyer in the second, she struck out the side in the third. The Gauchos nonetheless scratched out the game's opening run in the top of the fourth with designated player Jackie Hinojosa reaching on one of Cal Poly's three Sunday errors, moving to second on a passed ball by Mustang catcher Makenna Young and scoring though third baseman Kayla Krantz's double down the left field line.

UC Santa Barbara (19-17, 1-2) then ran its lead to 4-0 with a three-run fifth inning. Two more Mustang errors and a single by Gaucho shortstop Melanie Menor loaded the bases. Hyland forced a ground ball from right fielder Jessica Johnston and threw out center fielder Stacy Cavazos at home plate, but Altmeyer delivered a two-run double. Hinojosa then followed with a run-scoring hit to center field.

Hyland, who threw 70 percent of her 123 pitches for strikes, retired the final seven hitters faced.

Offensively, Cal Poly (26-9, 2-1) was held hitless by Gaucho starting righthander Veronika Gulvin (13-7) until senior second baseman Ashley Tornio singled to lead off the fourth. Gulvin, however, retired the next three Mustangs to keep UC Santa Barbara in the lead.

Held to just three baserunners and one hit entering the bottom of the seventh, Cal Poly saw senior left fielder Courtney Tyler and freshman first baseman Hailey Martin (above) string together successive two-out singles before Gulvin struck sophomore designated player Megan Nordin with a pitch to load the bases. Gulvin, however, recovered to force a game-ending pop up from Mustang sophomore catcher Makenna Young.

Still winners of 20 of its last 23 games, Cal Poly resumes Big West Conference play with a three-game, April 8-9, ESPN3-broadcasted series at Cal State Fullerton. The series begins with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 8.