Expectations were high coming into the 2021 season for the UCSB baseball team, and with the majority of the regular season completed, a special season is still on the table as the Gauchos begin a decisive stretch of Big West conference play.
UCSB (29-13 overall, 20-8 Big West conference) is currently looking up in the standings at first-place UC Irvine (26-14, 18-6), whose Anteaters will be in town for a four-game series beginning Friday for what figures to be a season-defining showdown.
“It’s a big weekend. They’re ahead of us; we all know it; everybody can look and see that. It’s the elephant in the room,” said UCSB head coach Andrew Checketts. “They’re good, and we’re going to have to come out and play well.”