Jonathan Mendez hit his fifth home run of the season for No. 21 UC Santa Barbara in a 9-4 loss to UC Irvine, marking the Gauchos' first series sweep since 2023. After a strong start by Calvin Proskey, who held the Anteaters hitless for five innings, a series of fielding errors allowed Irvine to score seven runs in the sixth inning alone. Head Coach Andrew Checketts noted the need for improvement against a well-coached Irvine team. The Gauchos will now focus on upcoming road games after this disappointing series outcome.

By the Numbers
  • Jonathan Mendez's home run was his fifth of the season, leading the team with 15 extra-base hits.
  • Calvin Proskey retired the first six batters he faced before allowing seven runs in the sixth inning, only two of which were earned.
State of Play
  • The Gauchos are now 15-7 overall and 4-5 in Big West play.
  • UC Irvine improved to 17-5 overall and 8-1 in the conference.
What's Next

Next, the Gauchos will face Saint Mary's on Tuesday, March 25, then play a road series at Long Beach State from March 27-29. They aim to bounce back and regain momentum after this series sweep.

Bottom Line

Despite a solid start, the Gauchos must address fielding mistakes and capitalize on offensive opportunities if they want to improve their standings in Big West play moving forward.