UC Santa Barbara Baseball Advances Toward Big West Tournament Spot

The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos softball team fell 9-1 to No. 9 UCLA after initially leading 1-0, with UCLA scoring multiple home runs to secure an early tournament win. Meanwhile, the UCSB baseball team took a critical 5-4 victory over Cal State Bakersfield, with Jackson Flora striking out 11 batters and Cole Tryba closing with an 11-out save, bringing the team one win away from qualifying for the Big West Championship. The baseball win featured strategic plays including multiple sacrifice flies and strong pitching performances, highlighting UCSB's competitive edge in the conference. The Gauchos baseball team now awaits their next games to clinch a tournament spot, while the softball team faces elimination and will play a do-or-die game next. Separately, the UCSB track and field teams are competing in the Big West Conference Championships, with notable performances including a conference record in the heptathlon, aiming to advance to the Outdoor Regionals. These developments mark important postseason moments for UCSB's spring sports teams across softball, baseball, and track and field.