Gauchos
steal a win 6-5 with ninth inning rally
By Michael Bower
On-line Forty-Niner
 If
there is one place the Dirtbags dread to
play, it has to be at UC Santa Barbara’s
Caesar Ukesaka Stadium. In the past two
series at the stadium the Dirtbags have
won just one of six games.
The Dirtbags (28-13, 8-3) revisited the
stadium last weekend and were stunned when
the Gauchos (19-21, 2-9) scored twice in
the bottom of the ninth to take Friday’s
game, 6-5. The Dirtbags rallied back on
Saturday though and pounded the Gauchos
for an 11-3 victory.
The Dirtbag defense and pitcher Carlos Muniz
have been the two surest things of the season
for the Dirtbags, but on Friday the two
combined to blow a 5-4 lead in the bottom
of the ninth as the Gauchos came from behind
to beat the Dirtbags, 6-5.
The Beach broke a 4-4, tie in the top of
the ninth when Todd Jennings’ two-out groundball
rolled between the legs of third baseman
Nate Sutton allowing Chuck Sindlinger to
score the go-ahead run from second.
Muniz entered the game looking for his 12th
save but the Gauchos fought back with a
leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt to put
the tying run on second with one out.
Muniz then walked a batter before Nick Rodriguez
singled home the tying run and put runners
on first and third for the Gauchos. Josh
McCanne then hit a potential inning-ending
double-play ball to Troy Tulowitzki at shortstop.
Tulowitzki flipped to Sindlinger but Sindlinger’s
throw to first was wide of the bag and in
the dirt, and the game winner scored.
The loss snapped the five-game winning streak
of the Dirtbags and the nine-game losing
streak of the Gauchos.
Muniz came into the game with just one blown
save on the year and had the third most
saves in the nation with 11. The defense,
which committed two key errors, came into
the game fielding at a .982 clip — best
in the Big West.
Gaucho starter Matt Vasquez held the Dirtbag
offense in check after the first inning
giving up just one unearned run and five
hits.
The Beach jumped out to an early, 4-0, lead
on Tulowitzki’s RBI double and John Bowker’s
three-run homer in the first inning but
that is all the offense would mount until
the ninth.
The Gauchos chipped away at the deficit
against Abe Alvarez in the fourth inning
with a couple of key two-out hits that brought
in two runs and made the score 4-3. The
Gauchos tied the game, 4-4, off Alvarez
in the sixth inning when the Dirtbag defense
committed an error.
Alvarez had to settle for his fourth no-decision
on the year as he threw six and two-thirds
innings giving up four runs (one unearned)
on seven hits while striking out eight.
With Neil Jamison on the mound in the seventh
inning for the 49ers, the Gauchos had a
chance to take the lead. With a runner on
first McCanne smashed a double to right
field but a great relay throw by Sindlinger
to Jennings nailed the runner at the plate,
and preserved the tie score.
On Saturday The Beach banged out 12 hits
behind a solid-eight inning performance
by Jered Weaver, and the Dirtbags won easily,
11-3.
Weaver picked up his ninth win on the year
as he gave up just three runs on five hits.
Mike Hofius drove in four runs with a solo
homer and a three-run double while Brad
Davis added three hits. Sindlinger also
had a great day at the plate going 2-for-4
with three RBIs while Bowker smashed his
second homer in as many days for The Beach.
The Dirtbags have a .322 batting average
in its last four games and have outscored
opponents 37-15.
The Dirtbags will shift gears and play a
non-conference game against Fresno State
on Tuesday before heading to Stockton to
take on Pacific for a three-game conference
series starting on Friday.
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