Zona Zealots
Fansided

Previewing Arizona Baseball’s matchup with UC-Santa Barbara

By Eric Townsend

Omaha, NE - JUNE 28: A general view of an Arizona Wildcats glove and cap on the bench in the dugout, prior to game two of the College World Series Championship Series against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on June 28, 2016 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Omaha, NE - JUNE 28: A general view of an Arizona Wildcats glove and cap on the bench in the dugout, prior to game two of the College World Series Championship Series against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on June 28, 2016 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

TUCSON, AZ – Arizona Baseball (41-15, 21-9) returns to action in Day Two of NCAA Tournament action with a Saturday evening matchup against UC-Santa Barbara (40-18, 29-11).  

Win and advance, that’s all the tournament is about at this point, and after beating GCU 12-6 to start Tournament play on Friday evening, Arizona Baseball will now await a major showdown with UC-Santa Barbara.

Coming in, the Wildcats will have a tough challenge on their hands. Despite starting a little slow against the Antelopes on Friday, Arizona did a great job of staying steady and remaining the course, slowly plugging away at GCU’s lead, eventually passing the Lopes and running away with the victory.

Arizona Wildcats
Arizona Wildcats /

Arizona Wildcats

However, the Gauchos present a much larger challenge. UCSB played small ball and used their speed and athleticism against Oklahoma State to come away with the 14-4 victory. Against Arizona, this could become an offensive showdown.

Here’s a look at the Wildcats’ opponent the UCSB Gauchos…

Previewing Arizona Baseball’s game two opponent in UC-Santa Barbara:

Conference: Big West
Head Coach: Andrew Checketts
Head Coaching Record: 329-197-3
Current Record: 40-18 (29-11)

Pitching:

Overall, the Gauchos have a fairly solid group, with seven of 17 pitchers sporting an ERA under 4.00, and together UCSB has held opponents to a combined 3.84 ERA and 10.44 K’s per nine innings.

  • Largely led by sophomore LHP Rodney Boone has been quite good this year, compiling an 11-4 record with a 2.31 ERA and 128 strikeouts.
  • Michael McGreevy (Sophomore RHP) has also been very good for the Gauchos and should likely get the start against Arizona. So far this year, the California native possesses a 9-1 record with a 2.92 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 15 appearances.
  • Freshmen Carter Benbrook and Corey Lewis have also been nice surprises for UCSB, combining for a 13-5 record, 142 strikeouts, five saves, and 2.79 and 3.63 ERA’s respectfully.

Hitting:

Overall, UCSB brings a good offensive group to Tucson that scores a lot. While the Gauchos currently have a combined .291 batting average, this group has a lot of power from the plate, combining for 62 home runs, and they have an impressive 385 RBI’s (415 total runs).

  • As a team, the Gauchos are averaging 7.16 runs per game. By comparison, Arizona is averaging 8.73 runs per game.
  • The Gauchos currently possess an impressive .460 slugging percentage and a .383 on-base percentage.
  • UCSB also has four different batters with seven home runs or more on the season, while OF Broc Mortensen leads all batters with 15 home runs, 51 RBI’s, and a .282 batting average.

The Wildcats will need to stay hungry and ready as UCSB has a solid group, and they will look to continue their hot start as they look to knock off the 5th seeded Wildcats.

How to watch/follow the game:

Time/Date: Saturday 6/5 – 7:00 pm MST
TV: ESPN3
Radio: 1290 AM (Tucson) with Brian Jefferies on the call.

Tickets are still available and can be purchased here…

More. On Arizona Baseball. light

Home/Wildcats Baseball