That’s a wrap! Gauchos battle but fall in Regional Final to host Texas
AUSTIN, Texas. (KEYT) - Some late game mistakes proved costly as UCSB lost in the Austin Regional to host Texas 6-4 as the Gauchos season comes to an end.
The Gauchos jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a Rowan Kelly solo home run in the bottom of the first inning.
Dos Pueblos High School alum Kellan Montgomery kept the explosive Texas lineup in check allowing just 2 runs in 5 2/3 innings on the mound while striking out 5.
"I think just trusting myself and the guys behind me," stated Montgomery. "The last couple outings haven't really been what I wanted, so just not making it anything bigger than it is. This is my first time in playoff baseball, so just trying to enjoy every moment with a really special group. It was just trusting myself and the seven guys behind me and (Nate Vargas)."
Each team scored two runs in the sixth inning so UCSB had a 3-2 going into the late stages of the game.
But Texas slugger Aiden Robbins blasted a 2-run home run off of reliever Van Froling to put the Longhorns up 4-3. It was Robbins' 23rd homer on the year and 4th in the regional.
Texas increased the lead to 6-3 in the top of the 8th, scoring their final run on a costly throwing error by reliever AJ Krodel. With two outs and a runner on third he threw an errant pick off throw to third that allowed Ethan Mendoza to score.
The Gauchos got a run back in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI groundout by William Vasseur.
Later in the inning UCSB had runners on the corners with just one out. But Gauchos pinch runner Max Stagg took off for second base while the ball was still in the pitcher's hand. Sam Cozart stepped off the mound and fired a strike to second easily throwing out Stagg who represented the tying run. Kelly who was on third did not try to advance. Following the Gauchos baserunning blunder, Jonathan Mendez flied out to end the inning with UCSB down 6-4.
UCSB didn't go down without a fight in the bottom of the ninth as they opened with two singles from Xavier Esquer and Cole Kosciusko and had runners on the corners with no outs.
Noah Karliner struck out and Corey Nunez popped out without advancing the runners.
After Liam Barrett was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Texas brought in lefty Luke Harrison to face UCSB's top hitter all year Rowan Kelly.
Harrison got the left-handed hitter Kelly to fly out to left to end the game.
"I think our guys gave a really good effort," said UCSB head coach Andrew Checketts. "Kellan's start was outstanding, set the tone for us, gave us a shot. We came up short against a very good baseball team. The experience here was great, first-class, all of it, so I know our guys enjoyed that. You have some groups that you coach and every day can be a challenge — and that's part of it — but this group was really fun to coach. They showed up every day and wanted to work and liked where they were at and felt grateful for where they were at and in the modern age of athletics, it's refreshing to have guys that are like that and have that mentality and have some gratitude to be able to wear this (uniform) and play for this. We had some transfers in — Kellan himself — that really integrated and were part of the team and really cared about winning. I thought our guys hung it out there today, a few decisions I made, I felt like I might have over-coached and cost us, but in general, I thought our guys' effort was good."
Texas goes 3-0 and advances to the Super Regionals.
UCSB finishes 2-2 in the Austin Regional and ends the year 40-20 following their 16th NCAA Tournament in program history.
The Gauchos Rowan Kelly, Cole Kosciusko, Xavier Esquer, William Vasseur and Jackson Flora were selected to the Austin Regional All-Tournament Team.
(UCSB Athletics provided the postgame quotes).
