SANTA BARBARA – The SBCC baseball team finished its conference-opening series with a sweep, defeating Oxnard 8-6 on Saturday at Pershing Park.
The Vaqueros (10-3, 3-0) have opened WSC play with a 3-0 mark for the first time since 2017. They are out to their best overall start since going 10-1 to begin the 2015 season.
For the first time in the series, the Vaqueros racked up double-digit hits (11). Shortstop Gabe Baldavino led the way with two hits and three RBI, while third baseman Gavin Haimvoitz led all players with three RBI on two hits. Left fielder Carson Cahoy and catcher Andrew McKenna also had two hits apiece.
Santa Barbara opened the scoring in the bottom of the second. Gavin Haimovitz led off with a double to center field and would score on McKenna's single up the middle. Caiden Matheny also scored an unearned run on the hit to make it 2-0.
Oxnard (2-12, 0-3) answered with three runs in the top of the third to take the lead. However, SBCC immediately responded, as Carson Cahoy came home from third on a single to right by Mark Hernandez.
The Condors took the lead once more, 4-3, with a run in the top of the fifth. Pinch runner Nicholas Seyler stole third before Cahoy earned a ground out RBI to tie the game again.
The Vaqueros broke out of the deadlock with a huge eighth inning. A big double play stopped Oxnard from scoring, despite having runners on first and third, and pitcher Jake McBride finished things off with a strikeout to end the inning.
The offense then put together its best run of the day. Seyler and Fung opened things with a single and a double. Baldavino then walked to load the bases wth two outs.
Hernandez was hit by a pitch, bringing Seyler home to give SBCC a 5-4 lead. Haimovitz then hit a huge three-RBI triple to center field, scoring runs from Fung, Baldavino and Hernandez to make it an 8-4 game.
Oxnard put up two runs in the ninth before the Vaqueros sealed the final out. McBride (2-1) earned the win on a day where four SBCC pitchers saw action.
The Vaqueros will head on the road for their next two games at El Camino on Tuesday and Thursday at 2:00 p.m. They will finish out the series at home on Saturday, Mar. 5 at 1:00 p.m. at Pershing Park.
