Gauchos season ends in 3-0 loss to Oregon as Ducks win Santa Barbara Regional

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – For the second straight night Oregon kept the Gauchos bats quiet as the season ends for UCSB in a 3-0 loss.

The Ducks win the Santa Barbara Regional with a 3-0 record and they move on to the NCAA Super Regionals at Texas A&M.

In two games against Oregon at this regional UCSB managed just 1 run and 8 hits.

“They are well coached,” said UCSB head coach Andrew Checketts. “Their guy did a good job, he executed, thew the ball where he wanted to and we were fading, running out of gas, felt like we were in the 15th round of a prize fight and we were just kind of trying to wrap up the other guy.”

But Oregon pitcher Kevin Seitter went the distance and knocked out the Gauchos.

He threw a complete game 4-hit shutout ending the game with a strikeout on his 128th pitch.

Until the 9th inning UCSB did not have a runner reach second base.

But down to their final out, UCSB catcher and All-Tournament selection Aaron Parker singled and Nick Oakley followed with a single to right to put runners on the corner.

Jonah Sebring, who had homered earlier in the day in a 4-2 win against San Diego, struck out to end the season.

The Gauchos finish up an historic campaign with a 44-14 record.

They went a nation’s best 25-0 at home in the regular season and ended 27-2 at Caesar Uyesaka after a 2-2 regional.

It was the first time UCSB had ever hosted an NCAA Regional on campus.

UCSB won the Big West for a third time in the past five years and tied a program record with 14 players receiving All-Big West honors including Pitcher of the Year Ryan Gallagher.

Checkets was named Big West Coach of the Year.

UCSB had four players receive All-Tournament honors at the Santa Barbara Regional: Catcher Aaron Parker, shortstop Jonathan Mendez, outfielder Jessada Brown and designated-hitter LeTrey McCollum.

The MVP went to Carter Garate of Oregon.